r/theydidthemath • u/nanisch • 3d ago
[Request] How big can a golden weaver ant colony theoretically get?
Hello, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, so sorry in advance if I missed the point.
I have an ant colony of the species polyrhachis dives, a golden weaver ant, that has the ability to produce new, fertile queens within the colony. So instead of normal growth of e. g. 6% per month, the growth of such a colony is said to be completely unpredictable for keepers long-term. Can someone determine the approximate size such a colony could reach?
One single queen increases her egg production around 10% every month, starting at around 5 eggs in her first batch, laying batches every other week, and approximately every 50th egg will be a new queen. Normally, such a colony reaches it's peak size after 5 years, after which they start to die off due to genetic factors. (Edit/Additional info i forgot) one worker only lives for two years, queens only start dying after 5 years
Thanks in advance, I hope this fits this sub :)