Insects

Indian Ants – The Ants That Fight for Queenship, Winner Takes Crown and the Brain Shrinks!


Many ant species have uneventful transfers of power when their colonies gain a new queen. However, Indian jumping ants are an exception. While you won’t need a Wall NJ exterminator to handle these ants in your home, since they’re found in India, you might be interested to learn about their unusual behavior.

Ant Battles

Indian jumping ants battle it out to determine who gets to become the new queen. Hundreds of female worker ants in these colonies fight for control, which isn’t common among other ant species.

Brain Shrinkage

In addition to fighting to see who the new queen will be, Indian jumping ants physically change during these battles. These female ants are able to increase the size of their ovaries in anticipation of becoming queen. While this happens, their brain shrinks in size to make up for it. This change isn’t permanent, since these ants are able to regrow the portion of their brain that decreases. Scientists believe this is done so that the losers of these battles can go back to being workers.

Ant Prevention In NJ

While you don’t have to worry about Indian jumping ants in or around your home, sugar ants, carpenter ants, and other NJ ants can invade. Sealing up gaps and removing sources of food and water can help stop these ants from being able to get inside your home.

If you have ants in your home, please contact Allison Pest Control today. With help from our Wall NJ exterminator, your home can be rid of these pests.

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