Keeping Small Ant Colonies – Fertile and Unfertile Queen Ants. How to Start Ant Keeping?
These are some of the first questions beginner ant keepers ask. If you got interested in this hobby during the nuptial flight season, there’s a good chance you have already caught a queen ant yourself.
In such a case, you place her in a test tube with water. Depending on the species, the queen may need feeding – or she may live solely on her reserves.
Example video of a Lasius niger queen in a test tube setup with water and cotton:
👉 Watch here on TikTok
Beginning Your Ant Keeping Journey – Test Tube Covers for Ants
Test tube covers allow you to keep small colonies or single queen ants in darkened conditions, mimicking a natural underground nest. They also stabilize the test tube, preventing unnecessary movement.
We offer two types of covers in our shop:
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Short covers – for 10 cm plastic test tubes
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Long covers – for 16 cm glass test tubes
You can see them in action here:
We also provide red stands for test tubes, available in two versions:
Fertile and Unfertile Queen Ants
Fertile Queen Ants
A fertile queen has mated during the nuptial flight and stores sperm in her spermatheca. She can lay both fertilized and unfertilized eggs.
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Fertilized eggs (diploid) – develop into workers and future queens.
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Unfertilized eggs (haploid) – develop into males.
Such a colony is complete and capable of long-term growth.
Example: Fertile Queen Ant
Unfertile Queen Ants
An unfertile queen has not mated and therefore lacks stored sperm. She can only lay haploid eggs, which develop into males.
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These queens cannot establish a lasting colony, as no workers are produced.
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If your queen lays eggs that quickly dry out, it is often a sign she has not mated.
There are a few rare ant species where thelytokous parthenogenesis occurs – meaning female offspring can develop from unfertilized eggs.
Example: Unfertile Queen Ant
Ant Eggs Compared to Chicken Eggs
Many new keepers ask about ant eggs. To simplify:
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Chicken eggs bought in stores are usually unfertilized, as hens lay eggs without a rooster.
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Fertilization happens only if a rooster is present.
The same principle applies to ants:
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Fertilized eggs → workers and queens
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Unfertilized eggs → males
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Trophic eggs → used as food for larvae or the queen
Frequently Asked Questions About Ant Eggs
What do ant eggs look like?
They resemble tiny grains of white salt or sand.
How long does it take for an ant to hatch?
Depending on species and temperature, the full cycle (egg → larva → pupa → adult) may take 2–3 weeks.
What happens when a queen stops laying eggs?
The colony stops growing. Without new workers, the colony eventually dies out.
How can I encourage my queen ant to lay eggs?
Provide calm conditions, darkness, and constant access to water. Avoid disturbing or overexposing the test tube.
How soon after capture does a queen lay eggs?
Usually within a few days to a week, but it can take longer depending on the species and environment.
Sources
This article is based on scientific literature, including:
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Hölldobler & Wilson, The Ants
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Peeters & Ito, 2015
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Heinze, 2020
Author: Piotr Rachwał
Founder of AntCenter, insect enthusiast and educator in the field of ant keeping and formicarium design in Poland. For years he has been creating and testing optimal solutions for raising ants. He supports beginner keepers with practical knowledge and resources. Privately – a traveler, forest lover, and black coffee fan.