image: Image of the Pogonomyrmex queens and males in a mating aggregation. After the rain, the males and young queens leave their nests to join a mating aggregation which usually comprises several thousand individuals. After mating, the queens shed their wings and start a new colony whereas the males die within a few days. This image relates to an article that appeared in the Oct. 24, 2008, issue of Science , published by AAAS. The study, by Dr. Tanja Schwander and colleagues at the University of Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland was titled "Genetic Compatibility Affects Queen and Worker Caste Determination." view more
Credit: Image © Science/AAAS