When starting a new colony, which ant plays the key role?

The queen ant plays a vital role when starting a new colony. She is responsible for reproduction and establishing the colony's population by laying eggs. A queen typically mates once but can store sperm for several years, allowing her to produce offspring consistently throughout her life. This initial phase of a new colony hinges on the queen's ability to lay eggs and nurture the early brood until there are enough worker ants to take over the foraging and maintenance of the colony.

Worker ants, while crucial for colony upkeep, foraging, and caring for the queen and her offspring, do not initiate new colonies. Soldier ants protect the colony and do not play a direct role in its establishment. Drone ants exist primarily for mating purposes with the queen and do not contribute to the founding or maintenance of the colony itself. Hence, the queen ant is the pivotal figure at the outset of a new ant colony's lifecycle.