AOni widenotis rangetre ofampleksan reproductivegamon strategiesde havereproduktaj beenstrategioj noteden informikospecioj. antOni species.scias, Femaleske ofinoj manyde speciesmultaj arespecioj knownestas tokapablaj bereproduktiĝi capablesensekse ofpere reproducingde asexually"telitoka" through(virinnaska) [[thelytoky|thelytokous parthenogenesispartenogenezo]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Heinze|first=Jurgen |last2=Tsuji|first2=Kazuki| name-list-format = vanc |year=1995|title=Ant reproductive strategies|journal=Res. Popul. Ecol.|volume=37|issue=2|pages=135–149 |url= http://meme.biology.tohoku.ac.jp/POPECOL/RP%20PDF/37(2)/pp.135.pdf |doi=10.1007/BF02515814 }}</ref> SecretionsSekrecioj fromel themasklaj maleduarangaj accessoryglandoj glandsen inkelkaj somespecioj speciespovas canŝtopi plugla theinan femalegeneran genitalmalfermaĵon openingkaj andtiel preventeviti, femaleske fromla inoj re-matingpariĝu.<ref name="Mikheyev, a. S. 2003. pp.401">{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1007/s00040-003-0697-x | title = Evidence for mating plugs in the fire ant ''Solenopsis invicta'' | journal = Insectes Sociaux | volume = 50 | issue = 4 | pages = 401–402 | year = 2003 | vauthors = Mikheyev AS }}</ref> Most antPlej speciesformikospecioj have a system in which only the queen and breeding females have the ability to mate. Contrary to popular belief, some ant nests have multiple queens, while others may exist without queens. Workers with the ability to reproduce are called "[[gamergate]]s" and colonies that lack queens are then called gamergate colonies; colonies with queens are said to be queen-right.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Peeters C, Hölldobler B | title = Reproductive cooperation between queens and their mated workers: the complex life history of an ant with a valuable nest | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 92 | issue = 24 | pages = 10977–9 | date = November 1995 | pmid = 11607589 | pmc = 40553 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.92.24.10977 | bibcode = 1995PNAS...9210977P }}</ref>
Drones can also mate with existing queens by entering a foreign colony. When the drone is initially attacked by the workers, it releases a mating [[pheromone]]. If recognized as a mate, it will be carried to the queen to mate.<ref name="Franks N. 2008">{{Cite journal | vauthors = Franks NR, Hölldobler B | doi = 10.1111/j.1095-8312.1987.tb00298.x | title = Sexual competition during colony reproduction in army ants | journal = Biological Journal of the Linnean Society | volume = 30 | issue = 3 | pages = 229–243 | year = 1987 | pmid = | pmc = }}</ref> Males may also patrol the nest and fight others by grabbing them with their mandibles, piercing their [[exoskeleton]] and then marking them with a pheromone. The marked male is interpreted as an invader by worker ants and is killed.<ref>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1007/BF01175395 | title = Pheromonal manipulation of workers by a fighting male to kill his rival males in the ant ''Cardiocondyla wroughtonii'' | journal = Naturwissenschaften | volume = 79 | issue = 6 | pages = 274–276 | year = 1992 | vauthors = Yamauchi K, Kawase N | bibcode = 1992NW.....79..274Y }}</ref>
