Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live the life of royalty? It turns out you don't have to visit Buckingham Palace to get a glimpse of royal life. All this regal glitz and glamor can be found in the anthill in your backyard. However, while being the queen of an ant colony comes with several benefits, there are many more responsibilities and dangers involved.
How to recognize a queen ant
There are several ways to distinguish the queen ant from the rest of the colony. In size, queen ants are usually larger than other ants in the colony. They also have a thicker body and abdomen than worker ants. Ant queens are born with wings but lose them over time. You may notice small stubs on the side of the queen ant, indicating that she has lost her wings. Also, if you ever notice a larger ant surrounded by smaller ants, it is most likely a queen. The worker ants' job is to feed, clean, and protect the queen, so it's normal to see them climbing all over her. Although not noticeable, another difference between queens and other ants is their lifespan. A queen ant can live up to several decades, while worker ants and drones have a lifespan of several months to several years.
The role of the queen ant
Despite the prestigious title, the queen does not actually rule the kingdom or colony of ants. She has no special powers or decision-making powers. However, queen ants provide for their colony in the same way as other ants. The queen ant plays two very important roles in the ant kingdom. The first role they take on is colonization. After mating with a male, the queen ant leaves her home colony and establishes a new colony elsewhere. Once she has decided on a location, the queen ant will lay her first batch of eggs. These eggs will hatch, develop and become the first generation of worker ants in the colony. Once the colony is stable and established, the queen ant's only job will be to continuously lay eggs. The sex of these eggs is determined by whether they are fertilized or not. Depending on the needs of the colony, the queen ant lays fertilized eggs, which become female worker ants, and unfertilized eggs, which become male ants. From the fertilized eggs, the pupae that receive the most care and feeding will eventually become queens and create their own colonies.
Ant Queen Control
A queen ant can produce thousands and thousands of ants in her lifetime. These ants are constantly searching for food supplies and water sources for their colony. As a result, it is very common to find ants in your home at one time or another. This is especially true during droughts or times of resource shortage. To make your home less attractive to foraging ants, follow these tips:
- Make sure food is sealed properly.
- Make sure that dirty dishes do not accumulate in the sink.
- Regularly wipe down kitchen counters and surfaces to remove crumbs and food debris.
- Eliminate sources of excess moisture, such as leaking plumbing fixtures and poor exterior drainage.
- Seal potential entry points into your home, such as cracks under doors and cracks around windows.
- Call a pest control professional to find and destroy surrounding colonies and nests.
If you have ants in your home or anthills in your yard, your best bet is to call a pest control professional like Beztarakanov. Depending on the species and habitat, an Aptive pest control specialist will be able to determine the most effective and safe treatment option. Moreover, unless the colony is in your yard, it can be difficult to find. An ant control professional will be able to control and treat ants in hard-to-reach areas such as your home's basements and air ducts. Aptive's commitment to customer service and environmental stewardship sets us apart from our competitors. If you have a pest problem that needs to be controlled, call BezTarakanoff today.
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