What lasius species are polygons ?

[Dominik]

I know that some parasitic lasius queens can join forces but is Lasius Niger ,Lasius Neoniger or Lasius Flavus Polygon ?

[Jadeninja9]

They're actually circular

[Batspiderfish]

The word you are thinking of is "polygynous" (adjective) or "polygynes" (noun).

To the best of my knowledge, Lasius are all monogynous. There are some circumstances where Lasius from the flavus group can have multiple queens, but this seems to be based on their physical distance from one another (too far to smell each other), which is not east to replicate in captivity.

Polygyny is overrated anyways, since most any single queen will produce a colony that will fill any captive setup.

[Dominik]

I know that but i still have a wish to have a colony with multiple queens

[Jadeninja9]

The word you are thinking of is "polygynous" (adjective) or "polygynes" (noun).

To the best of my knowledge, Lasius are all monogynous. There are some circumstances where Lasius from the flavus group can have multiple queens, but this seems to be based on their physical distance from one another (too far to smell each other), which is not east to replicate in captivity.

Polygyny is overrated anyways, since most any single queen will produce a colony that will fill any captive setup.

I read on AntWiki that sometimes Lasius alienus colonies were found having multiple queens in the wild. It's probably almost impossible to replicate though. When I caught my Lasius alienus queens I saw them group together and clean each other. I don't know if they would have fought when the first worker arrived or if they would have started a colony together. I wasn't going to take any risks.

[Batspiderfish]

Polygyny can be a genetic trait, much like some people have brown eyes and others might have green or blue.

From studies done with Solenopsis invicta, polygyny and monogyny have been tied to at least one gene. Queens with the recessive version of Gp-9 are monogynous and almost all of the reproductives in her colony will be passing on her genes. Queens with the "dominant" version of Gp-9 are polygynous and must share resources with other queens with fewer opportunities to pass on their genes. Colonies with the recessive version will kill all other queens that they find, while the colonies with the dominant version will kill only the monogynous queens.

And, just as a simple genetics PSA: dominant and recessive traits have nothing to do with being stronger or weaker; they only describe which combination of alleles (copies of genes) are required for a phenotype (observable effect) to be expressed.

[Jadeninja9]

Polygyny can be a genetic trait, much like some people have brown eyes and others might have green or blue.

From studies done with Solenopsis invicta, polygyny and monogyny have been tied to at least one gene. Queens with the recessive version of Gp-9 are monogynous and almost all of the reproductives in her colony will be passing on her genes. Queens with the "dominant" version of Gp-9 are polygynous and must share resources with other queens with fewer opportunities to pass on their genes. Colonies with the recessive version will kill all other queens that they find, while the colonies with the dominant version will kill only the monogynous queens.

And, just as a simple genetics PSA: dominant and recessive traits have nothing to do with being stronger or weaker; they only describe which combination of alleles (copies of genes) are required for a phenotype (observable effect) to be expressed.

Wow, that's very interesting. What causes queens to work together but then kill each other when the workers arrive?