TROPHIC EGGS LAID BY FERTILE MYRMICA QUEENS (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE)

Most mature Myrmica rubra, M. ruginodis, M. schencki and M. sulcinodis queens lay some trophic eggs in addition to reproductive eggs whether reared alone or attended by workers, and regardless of season. Queen trophic eggs resemble those laid by workers. They are oval, slightly f laccid, opalescent and contain no embryo, and in M. rubra and M. schen cki they are significantly smaller than reproductive eggs. Generally, queens lay their first trophic eggs later in the season than their fir st reproductive eggs.