 Researchers have identified a tendency for "L. malachurum" in southern European climes to be characterized by more activity and the production of more worker broods prior to the production of a gyne brood, whereas "L. malachurum" in northern European climes exhibit less activity and only a single worker brood prior to the gyne brood.The queens of "L. malachurum", following fertilization the previous year, begin to appear in the spring, when food sources are plentiful to sustain them after the long overwintering period.Although several females usually outwinter in the same burrow with little conflict, they start to act aggressively until a single female is left in possession of the burrow, leaving the evicted females to obtain or excavate burrows of their own.