We call it a supergene because the genes are tightly linked and inherited together, almost like a single large gene,
said Brendan Hunt, a co-author of the study and associate professor at the University of Georgia, as quoted by UGA on Friday, Nov. 6, 2026.
The social structure within an ant colony is not determined solely by environmental factors or interactions between individuals. Recent research shows that genetic factors play a crucial role in determining an ant’s position, including its chances of developing into a queen tasked with producing offspring. The role of the queen is a vital position within the colony determined at birth, leading all nest activities.
In the social life of ants, the division of labor is a vital element in maintaining colony survival. Smaller worker ants are typically responsible for caring for the young and maintaining nest security. Meanwhile, larger workers generally perform foraging duties.
This study highlights the existence of supergenes in fire ants. This specific group of genes influences biological traits, including the colony's social structure. The presence of supergenes is also related to differences in colony patterns, where some colonies have only a single queen, while other colonies are inhabited by multiple queens.
The research team conducted in-depth observations regarding the developmental process of supergenes and their relationship with juvenile hormone. Prior to this study, scientists already knew that ant development is influenced by a number of factors, including nutrition and environmental conditions. However, the latest observations show that fire ants possessing the supergene tend to spend a longer time in the larval phase before resuming growth at a normal rate.
To understand the relationship between genetics and this development, researchers conducted tests using methoprene to examine the effect of juvenile hormone on ant body size.
The experimental results showed that ants without the supergene were also able to develop into large individuals after being treated with methoprene. However, when researchers compared the groups more specifically, it was found that the largest ants tended to come from the group possessing the supergene.
Ant colony structures vary greatly in nature. Taxonomically, they belong to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Insecta, Order Hymenoptera, and Family Formicidae. Their social systems vary by species, such as the classical monarchy found in weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina), to nomadic systems without a fixed kingdom such as in army ants (Eciton burchellii).
There is also a system known as organized anarchy or Gamergate,
found in species such as Diacamma rugosum. In this system, the hierarchy is determined through physical dominance, where workers that win competitions act as surrogate queens and possess the ability to reproduce.
The study concludes that the relationship between genetics, juvenile hormone, and body growth is a major determining factor in the formation of hierarchy and reproductive status in fire ant colony life.