ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Sphecomyrmex]

Hi all,

I've two polyginous colonyes of Messor capitatus which i've picked from a field. I've never read that Messor's colonyes could be polyginous...there is anyone who knows about other cases as this?

[Skippy]

hi ... practically is easy to make polygyn colony from a lot of "normally monogyn species" ... so it is probably able. But you must firstly research , if it doesnt making some bad works in colony. For example ... one queen eating eggs of second queen or what.... also , when is colony bigger , is chance that workers can kill one of the queen

I´ve saw Messor structor polygyn colony and it was ok

[JimmyVe]

They normally aren't polygyn but i heard of it before. (And like i said before, whit ants everything is possible. )

[Sphecomyrmex]

One of two colony has 6 queens...other colony has 2 queens. In the colony with 6 queens, i've see that queens attack other queens, and also attack major workers. But it's so rare...Then, sometime major workers attack other major workers. Workers don't attack queens. I know these small aggressions also happen in normal polyginous colonies of other ants, for instance Formica fusca...
It is true, with the ants everything can happen I know a breeder who has a Tetramorium's colony with two queens. However, this messor-question doesn't seem me an exception, because I know from the same breeder, that there are other breeders who have messor's polyginous colonyes. Indeed, i'm looking for other cases as these

[Skippy]

I had polygyn Tetramorium colony with 25 queens ... and to 2 months workers killed all queens , only one stayed alive ... so , for you is better to make more small colonies from that 6-gyn colony ... if you want all queens alive

-formica fusca is normal polygyn specie , I´ve never seen some complication or fights btw queens

[Sphecomyrmex]

Tetramorium are pleometrotic. Colonyes are founded by multiple queen. Then, queens are killed by workers, and only one queen survive. Rarely, tetramorium's colonyes have more to one queen ...

Messor aren't pleometrotic...

[Skippy]

Here is what I wanna say ... I´ve found in nature big nest of Messor muticus with 6+ queens ... 4 I have in home ... (2 are JimmyVe´s) , 2 I have in formicarium with part of a colony

here is photo