ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the state of a long-term study of the development of a colony of Myrmica rubra, a polygyne, but not microgyne, an unspecialised ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae. Four ways in which young workers, whilst paler than average, and clearly recognisable, influenced the Myrmica system will be considered, in male production, seasonally as a preparation for hibernation, in gyne production and through queen/worker interaction. Male suppression in Myrmiea depends largely on control of the type of egg that the workers lay and is successful in proportion to the probability and degree or duration of contact between egg laying queens and their attendant workers. The proportion of pale workers with sharp teeth is positively correlated with mean dry weight and so it is likely that the colonies with a fast growing, well fed worker force are the ones that mature most gynes; this is reasonable if production of sexuals is to be greatest when growth rate is maximal.
