These resources are brought to you by the Cooperative Extension System and your Local Institution

FAQ #810

Have a question? Try asking one of our Experts

What is the difference between single-queen and multiple-queen forms of the red imported fire ant?

Related resource areas: Imported Fire Ants


View as web page

The single-queen (monogyne) form has only one queen per colony or mound, and workers range in size from about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. Members of colonies are territorial, and mound densities are usually 20 to 80 mounds per acre. Compared to multiple-queen colonies, there are far fewer ants per acre. The multiple-queen (polygyne) form usually has more than one and up to hundreds of queens per colony. A majority of the worker ants are of the same size with only a few large workers. Mounds may be interconnected, and workers travel freely from mound to mound. There is less fighting between colonies. Mound densities range from 100 to more than 1,000 per acre, and there are more ants per acre than in single-queen colonies.

Browse related FAQs by tag: fire ants

Have a specific question? Try asking one of our Experts

Unlike most other resources on the web, we have experts from Universities around the country ready to answer your questions.