Which ant species is known to kill 90% of its colony's queen?

The Argentine ant is known for its unique behavior concerning its queens, where it can lead to the elimination of a significant portion of them, sometimes up to 90%. This phenomenon is often attributed to aggressive competition within their colonies, particularly in areas where many queens coexist. In Argentine ant colonies, workers may choose to kill off lesser-performing queens or those that are not genetically advantageous, improving the overall fitness and reproductive success of the colony.

In contrast, other species like the Carpenter ant and Fire ant typically maintain their queens without such drastic measures, while the Pharaoh ant has a more diverse reproductive strategy. The behavior exhibited by Argentine ants is a reflection of their highly competitive and sometimes ruthless social structure, emphasizing the adaptive strategies that certain ant species have evolved in response to their environment.