Tapinoma sessile is a polygynous ant species. That is, their nests hold multiple egg-laying queens.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Tapinoma sessile is a polygynous ant species. That is, their nests hold multiple egg-laying queens.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Vollenhovia emeryi colonies contain many laying queens. This photograph shows two, with workers and pupae.

Washington, DC, USA
Proatta butteli is a polygynous species. Nests typically contain numerous fertile queens.

Danum Valley Field Centre, Sabah Borneo
Acromyrmex versicolor foundress queens in an incipient fungus garden.  This species is normally polygynous during the colony founding stage, but reverts to single-queen colonies after the first workers emerge.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Multiple queens in a colony of Pheidole megacephala big-headed ants.  

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
Multiple queens in the nest of a polygynous ant, Pheidole desertorum

Mojave National Preserve, California, USA
Acromyrmex versicolor foundress queens in an incipient fungus garden.  This species is normally polygynous during the colony founding stage, but reverts to single-queen colonies after the first workers emerge.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Multiple queens in the nest of a polygynous ant, Pheidole desertorum

Mojave National Preserve, California, USA
Multiple queens in a colony of Pheidole megacephala big-headed ants.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
Multiple queens in a colony of Pheidole megacephala big-headed ants.  

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
Multiple queens in a colony of Pheidole megacephala big-headed ants.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013