Ant colonies are usually completely dependent on a queen to survive. This is why the queens are normally the most protected colony member housed deep within a colony. They are responsible for the continuation of the ant population as well as directing how ants develop through chemical pheromone communication. When a queen is killed or dies,
the likelihood of survival for most ant colonies is drastically reduced. Many species of ants won’t be able to continue egg production which means that after the remaining ants die off, the colony will collapse. Sometimes a single queen will direct her ants to create satellite colonies with other queens that can help repopulate if one queen dies.
What Does an Ant Queen Look Like?
Ants pretty much all look the same, but queens are a little easier to point out. The ant queen size is usually 2 – 3x bigger than the other ants in the colony with an extremely large and engorged thorax. Ant queens are rarely seen though unless the colony has been opened up.
The queen any will also be found inside or near the nest chambers where the eggs and larvae are held and taken care of. If an ant colony is exposed, the ant queen will often be swarmed by workers trying to protect the queen.
Life Cycle of an Ant Queen
Before exploring the death of an ant queen, it is important to understand their life cycle and development. Not every ant has what it takes to become an ant queen. Each stage of the life cycle helps determine if an ant will become the matriarch of their colony.
