identifying a south Floridian ant 1/15/16

[michaelocity]

Also, is this the right for this question?

i ment is it right to ask if it has mated on this forum

[Batspiderfish]

does it seem to have mated and what species is it?

Also, is this the right for this question?

Now way to tell if it is mated unless you actually witness it happening. We just have to wait and find out.

Pheidole are notoriously diverse and difficult to identify to the species. It usually requires workers and examination under a microscope.

[Martialis]

Also, is this the right for this question?

i ment is it right to ask if it has mated on this forum

That's a hard question to answer, and the best advice we can give you is wait and see. If she lays eggs that become workers, she's fertile. If she dies, you won't know. If they turn into males, she's not mated.

[michaelocity]

Also, is this the right for this question?

i ment is it right to ask if it has mated on this forum

That's a hard question to answer, and the best advice we can give you is wait and see. If she lays eggs that become workers, she's fertile. If she dies, you won't know. If they turn into males, she's not mated.

Sorry if this sounds dumb, but why is it bad if she has males?(aren't they going to act like worker ants when nuptial flights are over)

[Cale3459]

Sorry if this sounds dumb, but why is it bad if she has males?(aren't they going to act like worker ants when nuptial flights are over)

Males can't take care of themselves and the workers are the ones that take care of them in the colony. If only males appear then you will never have any workers and the colony will fail due to lack of fertilization.

[Batspiderfish]

Males are worthless outside of the nuptial flight. If a queen is not mated, she will produce only males, and is doomed. Only queens have the anatomy and behavior to perform nest duties, but these come from the same diploid eggs that workers do.

[michaelocity]

are there any signs that would help me tell if she is going to have males(currently that are no eggs yet)

[Batspiderfish]

are there any signs that would help me tell if she is going to have males(currently that are no eggs yet)

Nope.

[michaelocity]

how long will it take for her to produce eggs

[Martialis]

how long will it take for her to produce eggs

Depends. If she's not stressed, and in a quiet, dark area, not long.