<sod>Most colonies are [[gyne|monogyne]], meaning that a colony will only have a single queen,{{sfn|Trager|1988|p=203}} but based on observations, nests can contain more than a single queen.<ref name=Greaves/> Some nests are known to contain two queens, with some even having as many as four in a single colony, making them [[gyne|polygynous]] as well; a high proportion of queens living in polygynous nests are unrelated to one another.<ref name="Carew_et_al_1997">{{cite journal|last1=Carew|first1=M.E.|last2=Tay|first2=W.T.|last3=Crozier|first3=R.H.|title=Polygyny via unrelated queens indicated by mitochondrial DNA variation in the Australian meat ant ''Iridomyrmex purpureus''|journal=Insectes Sociaux|date=1997|volume=44|issue=1|pages=7–14|doi=10.1007/s000400050018}}</ref> Some colonies are oligogynous, which means that multiple queens are present in a colony, but they are tolerated by all workers birthed from different queens and treated equally.<ref name=Bert1985/><ref>{{cite book|last1=Michelucci|first1=P.|title=Handbook of Human Computation|date=2013|publisher=Springer New York|location=New York, NY|isbn=978-1-4614-8806-4|page=931}}</ref> Tolerance still occurred even when new reproductive females and males are born,<ref name=Bert1985/> but recognition based on kin from queens and workers is known, hinting brood discrimination when larvae are fed or groomed;{{sfn|Hölldobler|Wilson|1990|p=202}} queens would only take care of their own brood and neglect to look after brood laid by other queens.{{sfn|Trager|1988|pp=271–272}} The queens on the other hand will only cooperate with each other during nest founding, but will be antagonistic once there are workers present in the colony.{{sfn|Hölldobler|Wilson|1990|p=159}} Queens will become more intolerant to each other as the colony grows, and eventually separate within the nest, resulting in the queen laying more eggs.<ref name=Bert1985/> Such cases usually happen when [[Ant colony#Organizational terminology|pleometrotic]] founding occurs, or if a queen ant is adopted by a colony, setting up aggressive relationships.<ref name=Bert1985/>{{sfn|Hölldobler|Wilson|1990|p=201}} Physical fights between queens in the same colony is rare.<eod>
<sod>Most colonies are [[gyne|monogyne]], meaning that a colony will only have a single queen,{{sfn|Trager|1988|p=203}} but based on observations, nests can contain more than a single queen.<ref name=Greaves/> Some nests are known to contain two queens, with some even having as many as four in a single colony, making them [[gyne|polygynous]] as well; a high proportion of queens living in polygynous nests are unrelated to one another.<ref name="Carew_et_al_1997">{{cite journal|last1=Carew|first1=M.E.|last2=Tay|first2=W.T.|last3=Crozier|first3=R.H.|title=Polygyny via unrelated queens indicated by mitochondrial DNA variation in the Australian meat ant ''Iridomyrmex purpureus''|journal=Insectes Sociaux|date=1997|volume=44|issue=1|pages=7–14|doi=10.1007/s000400050018}}</ref> Some colonies are oligogynous, which means that multiple queens are present in a colony, but they are tolerated by all workers birthed from different queens and treated equally.<ref name=Bert1985/><ref>{{cite book|last1=Michelucci|first1=P.|title=Handbook of Human Computation|date=2013|publisher=Springer New York|location=New York, NY|isbn=978-1-4614-8806-4|page=931}}</ref> Tolerance still occurred even when new reproductive females and males are born,<ref name=Bert1985/> but recognition based on kin from queens and workers is known, hinting brood discrimination when larvae are fed or groomed;{{sfn|Hölldobler|Wilson|1990|p=202}} queens would only take care of their own brood and neglect to look after brood laid by other queens.{{sfn|Trager|1988|pp=271–272}} The queens, on the other hand, will only cooperate with each other during nest founding, but will be antagonistic once there are workers present in the colony.{{sfn|Hölldobler|Wilson|1990|p=159}} Queens will become more intolerant of each other as the colony grows, and eventually separate within the nest, resulting in the queen laying more eggs.<ref name=Bert1985/> Such cases usually happen when [[Ant colony#Organizational terminology|pleometrotic]] founding occurs, or if a queen ant is adopted by a colony, setting up aggressive relationships.<ref name=Bert1985/>{{sfn|Hölldobler|Wilson|1990|p=201}} Physical fights between queens in the same colony are rare.<eod>