ABSTRACT
The structure of the society of F. polyctena can be summarized as follows: in every nest there are numerous mated and unmated queens and normally some hundred thousand workers. According to Dzierzon's rule queens and workers develop front fecundated eggs and males from unfecundated ones. The former develop into sexuals, the latter into workers if they are fecundated. But the larvae of the female producing wintereggs have to be determined to become queens, otherwise they develop into workers. From eggs laid by the F. polyctena queens, offspring can only be produced with assistance from the workers. K. Gosswald and K. H. Bier observed that the first eggs laid by queens in the early spring are normally unfecundated and develop into males. Males-determined eggs were found during the entire period of egg deposition. The longer cooling period of the queens is important for the subsequent deposition of dimorphic eggs.
