Drones being produced

[ginkyo]

Hi everyone,

Last year I got a colony of myrmica rubra from Antstore. My question is that I've noticed several winged ants in the set up. They look different from the the other ants too.

Do you think that the colony could be producing Drones? And if so, does that mean that the Queen is dead (or maybe wasn't included in the colony I originally bought?)

I'm a bit confused as to what to do.... what would you suggest?

Thanks a lot!

[Wood~Ant]

Hi Ginkyo and welcome to the Ant Hill

When you say you have drones, are they slim and almost black in colour, or more like the one on the attachment which is a young winged Myrmica queen?

A colony will sometimes produce winged males (and occasionally females) in captive Myrmica and related genera. This is not an indication that your colony has no queen(s) present, but as most native ants fly from around July and August, captive alates usually die off in the nest. Although if both sexes are present, they can have brother/sister matings which will make new queens; but this is rare in captivity.

Best thing you can do is, leave them and let nature take its course

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[ginkyo]

That's really helpful, thanks!

[Kyle]

Yer, I aggre with Wood, but the fact that your colony is producing alates is normally a good sign, that your colony is happy, growing well, and very well fed .
so very well done

_Kyle

[ginkyo]

Thanks!

It's really interesting - I had no idea that the colony would produce males in captivity. I've seen them 'bothering' the other ants sometimes. I guess they were trying to mate with their sisters?

[TenebrousNova]

Drones do sometimes attempt to mate with workers, yes. However, workers lack the ability to store sperm as a queen can, and thus the worker will remain infertile and only capable of (Rarely) producing drones.
As mentioned before, alates being produced is a sign of a happy and healthy colony.
Well done.