Who is the Heir? (Part I)

Ants usually need a queen to continue laying eggs. Without the queen, most colonies will fall due to having no replacements for the workers. There’s always an exception to rules, however. In some species of ants, there is no designated queen and every ant is able to lay eggs. These ants are known as gamergates. However, they can only lay eggs that will mature into males. When males have been born, they will mate with whichever female seems most dominant/attractive. Some species will have a single gamergate while others may have multiple egg-laying gamergates. When a worker has developed the ability to lay eggs, she will attempt to inhibit her sisters, clipping off bumps found on the abdomen or by using pheromones that cause the workers to remain nonreproductive.

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