What is the average life span of a garden ant?

The story behind the answer

15 years is correct when referring to a queen garden ant’s lifespan. In many common species (like the black garden ant, Lasius niger), workers live only weeks to months and males die shortly after mating, but queens can survive for 15 years or more—some recorded over two decades in captivity. The queen’s longevity sustains the colony, as she continually lays eggs while workers handle foraging and defense.

To remember this, think “queens reign long”: ordinary ants are short-lived, but the queen’s life is measured in years, not weeks. This dramatic lifespan gap is a hallmark of eusocial insects, where division of labor and protected living conditions allow the reproductive female to invest in long-term colony success.