Detecting many common queens in a group

Recently, a BBC crew made a scene of two queens working together in a group. Usually, each ant nest only exists a single queen.

However, with certain species, the "queens" are not related, linked together to expand the area.

The ant nests are more than 3m deep, up to half a dozen queen ants coexist. Photos (BBC Source)

The BBC 's crew believed that this was the first shot of the cooperation of the queen in nature.

The people in the group had to take 150 days in the Arizona desert, America to "ambush" the images that took place during the mating season after summer storms of ants Myrmecocystus mimicus.

"I know queen ants sometimes work together but I'm really surprised by their level of communication , " cinematographer John Brown said.

The main reason for this connection is to fight stronger opponents who steal ants and attack newly formed ants.

Genetic scholar Holldobler said, for ant colonies more than 3m deep, up to half a dozen queen ants coexist.