What tools does the invading B. fernaldii queen primarily use to physically overcome the resident host queen?
Answer
Her mandibles
The process of establishing dominance within a host colony is intensely physical and rarely peaceful. The invading queen must directly confront and subdue the resident queen of the host colony. This confrontation typically involves intense physical struggling where the parasitic queen utilizes her mandibles as primary weapons to incapacitate or kill her rival, thereby clearing the way to assume reproductive control over the workers.
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