Reproductive behavior of the ant Leptothorax (Dichothorax) pergandei

Leptothorax pergandei, the only member of the subgenus Dichothorax, is a common ant in Chihuahuan desert habitats in southwestern Arizona. According to colony censuses and relatedness estimates, colonies are mostly monogynous and queens typically mate only once. Mating takes place in local swarming flights; virgin queens attract males with secretions from the poison gland. Some dealate queens running on the soil surface directly after the mating flight had well-developed ovaries containing mature eggs and yellow bodies.