Queens live an average of about 3 years and in nature typically survive 2-6 years. The record longevity of a queen is 7 years. Males die a short time after they swarm and mate. Worker ants usually live 4-6 weeks after emerging as adults. However, imported fire ants have different sizes of workers and these workers live varying lengths of time, depending on their size and the temperature in the nest. Small workers live 1-2 months, medium workers live 2-3 months, and large workers live 3-6 months. Fire ant workers change duties as they age. The youngest ants tend the brood and the queen. Ants foraging outside the nest are the oldest. Thus, ants that you see foraging on sidewalks and in houses are probably already old and may live only a few days or weeks. See also FAQ #795: "How long do fire ant colonies survive?"

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