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Multiple Lasius Queens -Safe or Not?

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 11:17 pm
by harry7778
In this video ''https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teZVFLNoqkc'' is my two Lasius queens that I decided to put together because when I found them, they were interacting in the wild! They have laid eggs and are caring for each other and each other's young consistently! Will this continue or will they eventually harm one another?

Re: Multiple Lasius Queens -Safe or Not?

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 12:06 am
by CashTheEntomoligist
If They Were Against each other They Would Immediately Formic Acid Spray Each other But They're Interacting So Im Thinking You Will Have A Super Colony.

Re: Multiple Lasius Queens -Safe or Not?

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 12:54 am
by harry7778
Thank you! I’ve never seen this before! Having a colony with two egg laying queens must be fast growing!

Re: Multiple Lasius Queens -Safe or Not?

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:04 am
by TheRealAntMan
harry7778 wrote:
Tue Jul 10, 2018 12:54 am
Thank you! I’ve never seen this before! Having a colony with two egg laying queens must be fast growing!
Lasius ants follow Pleometrosis meaning that the will found a colony together, but turn on each other after the first workers arrive. I would keep separated if I were you.

Re: Multiple Lasius Queens -Safe or Not?

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 11:15 pm
by Wardword
TheRealAntMan wrote:
Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:04 am
harry7778 wrote:
Tue Jul 10, 2018 12:54 am
Thank you! I’ve never seen this before! Having a colony with two egg laying queens must be fast growing!
Lasius ants follow Pleometrosis meaning that the will found a colony together, but turn on each other after the first workers arrive. I would keep separated if I were you.
Agreed, often they kill each-other and you end up with no queen.

Re: Multiple Lasius Queens -Safe or Not?

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:19 pm
by AntsDakota
TheRealAntMan wrote:
Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:04 am
harry7778 wrote:
Tue Jul 10, 2018 12:54 am
Thank you! I’ve never seen this before! Having a colony with two egg laying queens must be fast growing!
Lasius ants follow Pleometrosis meaning that the will found a colony together, but turn on each other after the first workers arrive. I would keep separated if I were you.
I heard that Lasius flavus was polygynous, and I have 2 queens with pupae (probably workers by now.)

Re: Multiple Lasius Queens -Safe or Not?

Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:23 am
by harry7778
I've been monitoring the double-queen experiment with the 'Lasius Niger' queens, they are very calm with each other and are frequently laying, a significant difference in the egg pile size compared to my other 25 Lasius queens that are alone. I'm just worried of what will happen when the workers arrive.

Re: Multiple Lasius Queens -Safe or Not?

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2018 7:03 pm
by Wardword
harry7778 wrote:
Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:23 am
I've been monitoring the double-queen experiment with the 'Lasius Niger' queens, they are very calm with each other and are frequently laying, a significant difference in the egg pile size compared to my other 25 Lasius queens that are alone. I'm just worried of what will happen when the workers arrive.
To be safe, just b4 the workers arrive, remove one Queen.
At least you'll have a major brood boost !

Re: Multiple Lasius Queens -Safe or Not?

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 12:53 pm
by harry7778
Great idea, thank you.