The sensitization of young workers to queens in the ant Myrmica rubra L.

The effect of workers, born into a queen-containing society, upon their subsequent broodrearing behaviour, was tested in the polygynous ant Myrmica rubra L., using small summer and large overwintered larvae. Workers, reared from the point of emergence in the presence of queens, had more control over larval growth compared with workers reared without queens. The current presence of queens had little influence. A critical period exists when young workers become sensitized and perhaps imprinted by the presence of queens. The character of the workers, size of the colony and the queen/worker ratio influence the degree of worker response towards queens and are discussed.