How often do queens come out of their nests?

[Tanks19]

There is a colony of ants in my front yard and I've seen what looks like a queen and I've seen her 3 times. I think she is a queen because she is larger than all her workers. There are a lot of entrances to their nest and she slips through a different one each time. None of the workers attack her but it does not seem she has V.I.A bodyguard around her but there are always lots of workers out and about when she is moving.

[SYUTEO]

Are you sure that it's the queen? And what species are they? Queen ants will sometimes come out of their nest when there is not enough food or water or sometimes for no reason but it's very rare for the queen to come out.

[SolenopsisKeeper]

Are you sure that it's the queen? And what species are they? Queen ants will sometimes come out of their nest when there is not enough food or water or sometimes for no reason but it's very rare for the queen to come out.

Except… in invicta. I actually see queens come out/at nest entrance(with workers) several times. They kind of alter nest two feet away after rain storms. Not uncommon for invicta.(If that is the species) also. Some species of ants have “worker” queens, for example, Acromyrmex and Odntomachus are some examples. These queens tried to found colonies, and did not mate, or were not able to reproduce(even if they did mate). In invicta, they have multiple queens a lot of the time, so this wouldn’t be too uncommon. Maybe some pictures for ID?

[Tanks19]

I only think she is a queen because she is bigger than the workers and alates and she doesn't have wings she was cautious when I tried to see if she would climb on my finger which seems like normal queen behavior. I don't know what species but I can get a picture of the workers and possibly an alate. I think she is getting enough food because her workers always have large trails and their colony seems big.

[SolenopsisKeeper]

I only think she is a queen because she is bigger than the workers and alates and she doesn't have wings she was cautious when I tried to see if she would climb on my finger which seems like normal queen behavior. I don't know what species but I can get a picture of the workers and possibly an alate. I think she is getting enough food because her workers always have large trails and their colony seems big.

Ok, post a picture of her through imgur or formiculture and link it.

[Tanks19]

I got pictures of the workers but not an alate. it's been cooling down they haven't been too active so I've been having trouble getting pictures, but here's the link: https://imgur.com/a/glaNwO6

[Tanks19]

I take back saying that they have been not as active but I guess they really like sugar water https://imgur.com/a/uX3j6PS

[SolenopsisKeeper]

I take back saying that they have been not as active but I guess they really like sugar water https://imgur.com/a/uX3j6PS

In my opinion it looks like Dorymyrmex insanus. Does this line up?

[Tanks19]

I don't know, when I looked up the species on the wiki it said "Nests occur in open ground or in sites with a low profile vegetative ground cover." But their nest is where the driveway and the road street meet and they don't have any mounds. But they look similar to the ants in my front yard. The antenna is bent and the collars are almost identical and they are native.

[SolenopsisKeeper]

I don't know, when I looked up the species on the wiki it said "Nests occur in open ground or in sites with a low profile vegetative ground cover." But their nest is where the driveway and the road street meet and they don't have any mounds. But they look similar to the ants in my front yard. The antenna is bent and the collars are almost identical and they are native.

I know they are native, I wouldn’t want to say something and it be a waste. They are a “vulnerable” species on the endangered species list, but as far as I am aware no laws have been made against keeping them.