Most people think of ants as being solitary creatures, but in reality, they live in colonies that can contain millions of individual insects. Ant colonies are fascinating structures, and the queen ant is the most important member of this society. So, here are three things Wagner Pest Solutions wants you to know about the ant queen!

1. Queens Don’t Eat for Weeks after Mating

Queen ants are extremely fascinating. For one thing, they don’t eat for weeks after mating. Instead, they use up the fat they’ve stored, and new queen ants will even use the energy from their flight muscles no longer in use. During this time, they lay up to 800 eggs a day, building a colony of female workers.

2. They Can Live for Decades

Queen ants can live for decades. In fact, the queen of the species Formica fusca has been known to live up to 30 years. However, not all queen ants have such a long life span. The queen of the species Formica rufa, for example, typically only lives for about 15 years. Queens play an important role in their colonies, as they are the only members that can reproduce. So, they are closely guarded by the colony, and if a queen dies, the colony suffers.

3. The Queens’ Only Job Is to Lay Eggs

Unlike other queens, queen ants have one purpose in life and one purpose only: to reproduce and lay eggs. Many people assume the queen is barking orders and signaling her wants and needs, but in reality, she’s just there to make the colony bigger. Once her eggs are laid, worker ants carry them away and care for them until they hatch. So, a queen ant does little to serve her colony outside or reproducing.

Let Us Help You Evade an Ant Infestation

Because a queen ant can lay so many eggs at one time, a colony can grow rather quickly! This means you need to stay on top of pest control in your Phoenix, AZ, home. Thankfully you’ve got the number to Wagner Pest Solutions! In addition to ants, we also rid your property of bees, birds, and bed bugs. So, give us a call today at (623) 466-6752.