formica obscuripes ( the western thatching ant ) is a species of ant in the family formicidae .

it is native to north america .

it produces large mounds covered by small pieces of plant material .

the number of adult workers per colony may be as high as 40,000 .

f. obscuripes feeds upon a number of insect species , consumes nectar from homopterous insects they tend , and occasionally eats plant tissue .

in the blue mountains of oregon , f. obscuripes has demonstrated the capacity for polydomy .

a supercolony in a four-hectare study area near lehman hot springs consisted of 210 active nests with an estimated population in excess of 56 million ants .

formica obscuripes

formica obscuripes , also known as the ' western thatching ant ' is found throughout the central and western us , and western canada . f . obscuripes inhabits semi - arid sagebrush scrub lands , prairies , and various forest ecosystems .
to cite this page : miner , a . 2014 .
formica obscuripes
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
weber , n . a . 1935 . the biology of the thatching ant , formica rufa obscuripes forel , in north dakota . ecological monographs 5 : 165 - 206 .
senior synonym of formica aggerans : forel , 1914c pdf : 619 ; creighton , 1940a pdf : 1 ; of formica melanotica : creighton , 1950a pdf : 492 .
material of the unavailable name formica rubiginosa referred here by creighton , 1940a pdf : 1 .
31 times thatch mound , 11 times thatch mound nest , 3 times large formica thatch mound , 5 times foragers , 3 times nest under dead wood , 5 times mound nest , 3 times ex thatch mound , 5 times under stone , 4 times under dead wood , 2 times nest in dead wood , 2 times formica obscuripes mound , . . .
31 times thatch mound , 11 times thatch mound nest , 3 times large formica thatch mound , 5 times foragers , 3 times ex thatch mound , 3 times nest under dead wood , 5 times mound nest , 5 times under stone , 4 times under dead wood , 2 times nest in dead wood , 2 times formica obscuripes mound , . . .
there are some similar critters in formica : the experts will let you know if i ' m anywhere close . : )
·cole , a . c . 1932 . the thatching ant , formica obscuripes forel . psyche 39 : 30 - 33 , 1932 . ·conway , j . r . 1996 . nuptial , pre - , and postnuptial activity of the thatching ant , formica obscuripes forel , in colorado . great basin naturalist , 56 ( 1 ) , 1996 , pp . 54 - 58 ·jurgensen , m . f . , storer , a . j . & risch , a . c . 2005 . red wood ants in north america . ann . zool . fennici 42 : 235 - 242 , helsinki , 28 june , 2005 ·mciver , j . d . , torgersen , t . r . & cimon , n . j . 1997 . a supercolony of the thatch ant formica obscuripes forel ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) from the blue mountains of oregon . northwest science , vol . 71 . no . 1 , 1997 ·weber , n . a . 1935 . the biology of the thatching ant , formica obscuripes forel , in north dakota . ecological monographs , vol . 5 , no . 2 , pp . 165 - 206
thes are predators of a variety of other arthropods and avid collectors of honeydew and extrafloral nectar . may attack and prey on other ants , particularly other formica .
the founding of new colonies is usually carried out by the process of ' temporary social parasitism ' . an inseminated f . obscuripes queen will enter the nest of another formica species , and gain the acceptance of the ' host ' workers . at some point the host queen is killed or driven off , and the host workers raise the brood of the invading queen . eventually , only the invading species remains , as the original host workers die off . many , if not most f . obscuripes nests eventually house more than one queen .
formica obscuripes , like other formica in the rufa - species group , is a social parasite . you won ' t be able to start a colony from a single queen by herself , as she lacks the body reserves and instincts that queens of non - parasitic species have . instead , queens of rufa - group ants normally found colonies by integrating themselves into colonies of other species of formica , killing the resident queen , and assuming her role . what you ' d need to do is set up a starter colony fragment of your local host species , like f . podzolica , and introduce your obscuripes queen to it ( once you catch one , that is ) . i suspect you won ' t need this host colony to be fully - functioning - even a pile of pupae might do it . queens you catch on the mound themselves likely won ' t have mated . you ' ll do well to look for de - alated queens running around on the ground .
actually , for formica it ' s likely the males are larger then the queens . formica is one of the few genera of ants that has fair developed males , where in most other genera they tend to be smaller then the workers . ( we should mention this in the faq someone . ) a formica queen will be about the size of the workers if not a little bigger / longer . she should look similar to these . urltoken urltoken urltoken urltoken notice the developed thorax that gives them a hunch - back look . and the slightly larger abdomen . urltoken of course i ' m going all over the genus of formica but you can see they all have that in common . it sounds like your description of the males and the formica obscuripes are correct . if this is a recent thing then perhaps the queens haven ' t yet matured , or only emerge form the nest later in the day . another issue , maybe the colony you ' re looking at hasn ' t produced new queens this year . and finally it ' s possible they are a different formica that might gather their swarms low to the ground in other locations . i imagen this would be in forest land , where you can see other nests of this species . in either case , finding a location where there are more nests of these ants may increase your odds of finding a queen .
aha ! i ' ve got it ! here ' s a photo of a formica obscuripes queen , and she ' s red and black , rather than all black like the males . so i need to find a red and black winged ant . photo ( i also need to locate an appropriate starter set of minions , but that ' s another question . ) thanks for all your help , ant experts !
this is the most widely distributed and abundant member of the boreal and subboreal formica rufa - group in north america ( group named for a widely distributed euarasian species ) . on some individuals in the image , the diagnostic bristles on the outer surfaces of the middle and hind tibiae can be detected .
food is obtained primarily by scavenging or preying upon insects and other arthropods , and by harvesting honeydew from aphids . in addition to food - gathering activities on the ground ( and in shrubs ) , f . obscuripes workers forage high in the foliage of trees , and are important predators of western spruce budworm , and other forest ' pests ' .
this is the second time you ' ve tried to talk me into messing with a f . obscuripes mound . ( you wanted me to check if the alates overwinter , before . ) i ' m afraid of these guys ! i don ' t know how i ' d get pupae without being bitten half to death . maybe i ' ll drive over to yetuyetu ' s house if it turns out he hasn ' t got a queen in his bucket .
the western thatching ant , formica obscuripes , is a relatively large mound - building ant . its distribution reportedly extends from northern indiana and michigan westward across the northern united states and southern canada to oregon and british columbia . this ant also is found in an area extending southward including utah , colorado , northern new mexico and california . the host range of the western thatching ant includes various vegetation types , such as forested areas , grasslands , and sagebrush . the dome - shaped nests may vary considerably depending on age of the colony and the habitat ; however , they are typically 0 . 5 m in height and 1 . 0–1 . 5 m in diameter . the main brood chambers typically extend to a depth of 1 m or more below the soil surface , and the thatch to a depth of one - third of a meter or less . the thatch nests are constructed from dry plant materials found in the area , such as pine needles and twigs in a pine forest or sagebrush twigs and grass in a semi - arid region . the . . .
i ' ll second what myrmecos has written about a pile of pupae . i have started colonies of several formica rufa and sanguinea group species with a young queen found running about just after her mating flight , a pile of f . fusca group pupae , and some tlc . nevertheless , once started , the parasite species are nervous and fussy about nest conditions and food , and
fail to thrive
, so i ' ve always released them with no more than a few dozen workers .
in some western us states , mounds can reach over one meter in height , with tunnels and galleries extending several feet into the soil below the mound . the large nest - mounds collect solar radiation , warming the ants during cooler periods . the large mass of organic material may also help to generally moderate temperatures and humidity levels within the nest ' s interior . workers are constantly adding bits of twigs , cut grass stems , conifer needles , and other material to the mound . damage caused by high winds , rain , or even predators , is repaired by hordes of workers . nests of formica rufa , a closely - related european species , have been observed to be active for as long as forty years .
, the western thatching ant , is native to the nearctic region . it is widespread across the western half of canada and the united states . its range extends as far south as arizona and new mexico , and as far east as michigan and missouri . in the southern half of canada , it can be found from british columbia to manitoba . it is especially prevalent in the pacific northwest .
( crutsinger and sanders , 2005 ; higgins and lindgren , 2012 ; risch , et al . , 2008 ; tilman , 1978 ; weber , 1935 )
builds its nests in semi - arid regions , such as dry grasslands , including shrub - steppe habitats and sagebrush , prairies , coniferous forests , dunes , and alpine meadows . nests are also often found in areas of secondary succession .
can live in a large range of altitudes . nests have been found as low as 800 m and as high as 3 , 194 m , though the most common altitudes are between 1 , 524 to 2 , 743 m . nests are built into the ground , often around a structure , such as the main stem of a sagebrush plant or even a fence post . nests can extend up to 4 feet into the ground and are typically constructed out in the open . the western thatching ant gets its name from a mound of
thatch
that the workers assemble on top of the nest . this thatch consists of twigs , grasses , plant parts , and soil , and can be anywhere from a few centimeters to a meter high . the thermoregulatory abilities of the thatch allow the nests to be exposed to a variety of temperatures , humidity , and weather conditions . secondary nests are often constructed at the base of plants where
( beattie and culver , 1977 ; conway , 1996a ; crutsinger and sanders , 2005 ; higgins and lindgren , 2012 ; mciver and steen , 1994 ; mico , et al . , 2000 ; risch , et al . , 2008 ; tilman , 1978 ; weber , 1935 )
has one petiole and colony members may have a variety of colors and sizes . there is a continuous size distribution in workers , generally ranging from 4 . 0 to 7 . 5 mm in length , making it difficult to group the workers by size . head width ranges from 0 . 94 to 2 . 1 mm , showing significant variation . workers can be grouped into major and minor or major , media , and minor workers . due to the large variation in size , these ants are likely polymorphic . workers typically have a reddish - orange head , the thorax can be either reddish - orange or black , and the abdomen is black . legs and antennae can be reddish - orange or black . reproductive forms also follow this coloring . smaller workers can also be all black or dark brown . eggs are creamy white , and elliptical shaped . they are about 0 . 6 mm long and 0 . 31 mm wide . larvae are the same size as the egg when they hatch and grow to about 6 . 0 mm in length . reproductive pupae are 9 mm in length , while worker pupae are 3 . 5 to 7 . 0 mm in length .
( billick and carter , 2007 ; fraser , et al . , 2001 ; herbers , 1979 ; weber , 1935 )
is holometabolous . the first batch of eggs is laid in april . eggs are laid throughout the summer , until as late as the middle of august . eggs are laid in a brood chamber , as well as other soil chambers , where they develop and are tended to by adult workers . eggs hatch after 23 to 53 days . larvae can be found in brood chambers of the nests from the beginning of june to the end of august , and pupate after 7 to 33 days . pupae that develop into sexual forms are not present in the nests after june , but those that develop into workers can be found into early september . they remain pupae for 31 to 93 days , before developing into adults . by fall , the brood chamber has emptied . total time of development from egg to adult takes 61 to 122 days .
, very little is known about what occurs afterwards . since colonies move nests or grow by budding , it is uncertain where females that have recently mated in the nuptial flights go next . they likely return to already established nests to lay their eggs . colonies of
typically have two or more wingless queens that lay eggs . the number of queens present may vary significantly , as one colony was recorded as having 198 queens . the first brood of eggs is laid in the nest in april by queens already present in the nest . the eggs are laid in special brood chambers where they undergo metamorphosis and are cared for by workers .
breeding interval females mate once during the nuptial flight , while males may mate several times .
exhibit significant brood care . during the summer , a large brood chamber is constructed near the base of the thatch . this chamber is divided by twigs that are poked through at all angles and is well insulated . pupae can be found in the upper part of the chamber , while eggs and larvae are in the lower part of the chamber , as well as in lower chambers in the soil . the smallest workers remain in the nest to care for and feed the brood . once they reach adulthood , ants become independent and join the colony as workers or sexual forms . the entire brood has left the chamber by the beginning of fall and the chamber is then filled with thatch . there is also provisioning in the eggs provided by the queen .
most workers live 19 to 44 days after reaching adulthood , an average of 31 . 6 days , though some overwinter and live more than a year .
lives in large colonies . a large colony may have anywhere from 10 , 000 to 40 , 000 individuals . it is diurnal and forages during the day . in the warmer parts of its range ,
is active year round , while in the northern regions it overwinters in its nest and is active from april until october or november . the sexual males and females are able to fly , while workers are wingless . there are conflicting reports about the role of discrete worker castes in the colony . some researchers say
lacks discrete castes , while others have observed 2 or 3 distinct castes . in size , workers are on a continuous scale , with a large variety of sizes , though there are no obvious groupings . workers are often grouped into major , media , and minor workers . major workers repair the nest and thatch , as well as forage for insect prey to bring back to the nest . majors often work together to take down large insects . these attacks may last as long as 30 minutes . when attacking prey singly , major workers snatch the insect in their mandibles and immediately return to the nest . media workers transport broods between nests , forage for vegetation , and farm aphids . minors are rarely seen outside the nest and likely take part in brood care and tend the queens . all castes clean the nest . none of these tasks are exclusively performed by any one caste and all sizes contribute when necessary , which likely supports the idea that there are no discrete castes .
western thatching ants get their name from the piles of thatch they constructs to cover their nest mounds . the thatch is created from seeds , twigs , plant stems , grass , and soil . piles of thatch can be several centimeters to a meter deep and several centimeters to 1 . 5 m across . this thatch keeps nests at a constant temperature throughout the day , even though nests are typically constructed out in the open in dry , warm regions . workers are constantly repairing and adding to the thatch . many mounds are also built around the main stem of plants such as sagebrush . ants chew the bark on the stem and spray formic acid at it until it dies , at which point it can be removed , creating a central passage in the center of the nest .
is polydomous , with one colony typically living in several mounds . colonies often switch primary nests . new colonies are formed by budding . secondary mounds may become primary nests , or new mounds may be created nearby , with workers moving between the mounds .
( conway , 1996a ; conway , 1997 ; herbers , 1979 ; mciver and steen , 1994 ; mico , et al . , 2000 ; weber , 1935 )
mound usage by the colony can change throughout the day and year . a nest can have anywhere from 1 to 52 entrances , and these entrances constantly change . during warmer parts of the day , ants use entrances that are under cover and use entrances that are in the sun during the morning and evening . the same principle applies to trail usage . most trails are constructed under cover of vegetation , rarely veering out into the open . ants will also remain in the nest or secondary nest during the hottest part of the day , with most foraging taking place during the morning and evening . many colonies have secondary nests . these nests are typically constructed at the base of the plants where workers farm aphids . workers use this secondary nest throughout the day , the largest number take shelter in the mid - afternoon during the warmest temperatures . there are two types of workers involved in honeydew farming , tenders and transporters . transporters spend much of the day in the secondary nest , while the tenders farm honeydew and bring the honeydew to the transporters . the transporters collect the honeydew in their crop from the tenders and return to the nest with the honeydew .
tends to stay close to the nest ; one study showed that plants farther than 20 m away from the nest were not visited by the ants . mound density in some areas is 115 mounds / ha . in one study , the closest mounds were 2 . 36 m , while another study showed nests were usually separated by more than 100 m .
antennae are one of their most important sensory organs , used for olfaction , chemical detection , and tactile perception .
communicates with other workers by antennation and also perceives their environment with their antennae . ant crickets (
nests and have learned to mimic their antennae movements , which allows crickets to antennate with ants and remain undetected as non - colony members . when foraging at extra floral nectaries , ants can communicate with other foragers . if an ant finds a depleted nectary , it leaves a drop of liquid at the junction of the main stem and the stem to the depleted nectary . when another ant moves along the stem , it will antennate the drop of liquid and move past the depleted nectary without having to investigate itself . females release pheromones into the air during mating to attract males . as males swarm over the plants where the females wait , females also move their body and antennae to signal their location , indicating that vision is important in perceiving other individuals .
. it also scavenges dead insects and other invertebrates . foraging ants bring both living and dead insects back to the nest .
also eats organic matter , nectar from extra floral nectaries , and plant tissues including leaves , galls , and flowers . it has been recorded scavenging seeds , eating the edible part and storing the rest in the nest . occasionally , these ants also feed on carrion , such as dead rattlesnakes , birds , and small mammals . ants typically collect liquid from the carcasses and store it in their crops , returning to the nest and regurgitating the liquid via trophallaxis .
. honeydew is an important component of their diet , as a significant source of amino acids , carbohydrates , and water . it provides energy for the workers , and nutrients for the brood and queen . these ants occasionally also prey on the insects that they tend .
( beattie and culver , 1977 ; billick and carter , 2007 ; clark and blom , 1991 ; conway , 1997 ; erickson , et al . , 2012 ; heikkinen , 1999 ; mciver and yandell , 1998 ; mciver , et al . , 1997 ; tilman , 1978 )
. as predators themselves , they are aggressive and defend their brood and the aphids that they tend . they can spray formic acid when threatened or attacked . other insects that gain entry to the nest can pose a threat to the brood .
usually live peacefully in the nest , but have been observed attacking larvae . another ant species ,
, may eat larvae if it gets in the nests and will also attack and eat isolated workers . many species of spiders are also predators . many bird species , including
( conway , 1996a ; conway , 1997 ; heikkinen , 1999 ; henderson and akre , 1986 ; mciver , et al . , 1997 ; weber , 1935 )
is a mutualist with many species . honeydew plays a significant role in this species ' diet . in exchange for collecting and eating honeydew from the insects that it tends , it protects the insects from other predators and parasitoids . it also destroys insects that have been parasitized before the parasitoid completes development . the
. all life stages of this beetle can be found within the thatch . the exact relationship is uncertain , as the ants do not seem to get anything out of the beetles presence and do not even seem to notice them . the beetles can also survive in the thatch without the ants . other
species . larvae of these arthropods often use the thatch or chambers in the nest for hibernation or development and feed on decaying matter . the ants largely ignore them .
( conway , 1997 ; erickson , et al . , 2012 ; grinath , et al . , 2012 ; henderson and akre , 1986 ; mico , et al . , 2000 ; risch , et al . , 2008 ; seibert , 1992 ; seibert , 1993 )
nests . ants are aggressive toward the crickets and will attack if they realize the crickets are there . however , crickets have learned to imitate the way ants use their antennae to identify other individuals and trick the ants into allowing the crickets to stay . crickets even participate in trophallaxis with the ants . the ants do not seem to gain any benefits from the crickets ' presence , while the crickets get shelter , food , and will even attempt to eat larvae if given access . other ant species have also been documented living in the nests of
( conway , 1996a ; henderson and akre , 1986 ; mico , et al . , 2000 ; risch , et al . , 2008 )
plays a variety of other roles in the ecosystem . it is prey to a variety of insects and bird species . it also feeds on a large number of other insect species . ectoparasitic mites of genus
are often found on both workers and sexuals , often in the joints of the legs . the wasp
workers . the wasp lays eggs in the abdomens of worker ants , killing the ants upon hatching . as a significant aphid - tending ant species ,
can play a role in determining the density of other arthropods and herbivores in their habitat . in some habitats , such as a coastal dune habitat ,
is a keystone species . it reduces competing herbivores on the aphid - infested plants , while also increasing arthropod density by creating new shelters by rolling leaves on which the aphids live .
is also known to collect seeds and bring them back to the nest . it eats the edible part and stores the rest of the seed in chambers of the nest . these chambers can often be a good habitat for the plant to grow and develop , allowing the ant to aid in seed dispersal .
colonies likely eat insects and other arthropods that can be pests to their habitat ( particularly forest defoliators ) , as well as insects that could be pests to humans .
angela miner ( author ) , animal diversity web staff , leila siciliano martina ( editor ) , animal diversity web staff .
living in the nearctic biogeographic province , the northern part of the new world . this includes greenland , the canadian arctic islands , and all of the north american as far south as the highlands of central mexico .
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror - image halves . animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides , as well as anterior and posterior ends . synapomorphy of the bilateria .
used loosely to describe any group of organisms living together or in close proximity to each other - for example nesting shorebirds that live in large colonies . more specifically refers to a group of organisms in which members act as specialized subunits ( a continuous , modular society ) - as in clonal organisms .
in deserts low ( less than 30 cm per year ) and unpredictable rainfall results in landscapes dominated by plants and animals adapted to aridity . vegetation is typically sparse , though spectacular blooms may occur following rain . deserts can be cold or warm and daily temperates typically fluctuate . in dune areas vegetation is also sparse and conditions are dry . this is because sand does not hold water well so little is available to plants . in dunes near seas and oceans this is compounded by the influence of salt in the air and soil . salt limits the ability of plants to take up water through their roots .
particles of organic material from dead and decomposing organisms . detritus is the result of the activity of decomposers ( organisms that decompose organic material ) .
forest biomes are dominated by trees , otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality .
having a body temperature that fluctuates with that of the immediate environment ; having no mechanism or a poorly developed mechanism for regulating internal body temperature .
the state that some animals enter during winter in which normal physiological processes are significantly reduced , thus lowering the animal ' s energy requirements . the act or condition of passing winter in a torpid or resting state , typically involving the abandonment of homoiothermy in mammals .
a species whose presence or absence strongly affects populations of other species in that area such that the extirpation of the keystone species in an area will result in the ultimate extirpation of many more species in that area ( example : sea otter ) .
a large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows . in insects ,
incomplete metamorphosis
is when young animals are similar to adults and change gradually into the adult form , and
complete metamorphosis
is when there is a profound change between larval and adult forms . butterflies have complete metamorphosis , grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis .
the area in which the animal is naturally found , the region in which it is endemic .
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female ; development of offspring occurs outside the mother ' s body .
many forms .
a species is polymorphic if its individuals can be divided into two or more easily recognized groups , based on structure , color , or other similar characteristics . the term only applies when the distinct groups can be found in the same area ; graded or clinal variation throughout the range of a species ( e . g . a north - to - south decrease in size ) is not polymorphism . polymorphic characteristics may be inherited because the differences have a genetic basis , or they may be the result of environmental influences . we do not consider sexual differences ( i . e . sexual dimorphism ) , seasonal changes ( e . g . change in fur color ) , or age - related changes to be polymorphic . polymorphism in a local population can be an adaptation to prevent density - dependent predation , where predators preferentially prey on the most common morph .
that region of the earth between 23 . 5 degrees north and 60 degrees north ( between the tropic of cancer and the arctic circle ) and between 23 . 5 degrees south and 60 degrees south ( between the tropic of capricorn and the antarctic circle ) .
a terrestrial biome . savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy . extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical africa and south america , and in australia .
a grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees , a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest . see also tropical savanna and grassland biome .
a terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes ( > 23 . 5° n or s latitude ) . vegetation is made up mostly of grasses , the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available . fire and grazing are important in the long - term maintenance of grasslands .
berg - binder , m . , a . suarez . 2012 . testing the directed dispersal hypothesis : are native ant mounds (
fraser , a . , a . axen , n . pierce . 2001 . assessing the quality of different ant species as partners of a myrmecophilous butterfly .
grinath , j . , b . inouye , n . underwood , i . billick . 2012 . the indirect consequences of a mutualism : comparing positive and negative components of the net interaction between honeydew - tending ants and host plants .
herbers , j . 1979 . caste - biased polyethism in a mound - building ant species .
) with a key to the known larvae and a review of the larval biology .
seibert , t . 1993 . a nectar - secreting gall wasp and ant mutualism - selection and counter - selection shaping gall wasp phenology , fecundity , and persistence .
tilman , d . 1978 . cherries , ants and tent caterpillars : timing of nectar production in relation to susceptibility of caterpillars to ant predation .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
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emery , 1893k pdf : 650 ( q . m . ) ; wheeler & wheeler , 1953c pdf : 165 ( l . ) ; hung , 1969 pdf : 456 ( k . ) .
ward , p . s . , 2005 , a synoptic review of the ants of california ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . , zootaxa 936 , pp . 1 - 68
12 times found in shrub steppe , 2 times found in sagebrush , 6 times found in conifer forest , 5 times found in aspen forest , 2 times found in lodgepole pine forest , 0 times found in pinyon - cedar woodland , 0 times found in shortgrass prairie , 3 times found in riparian willow in sagebrush desert , 2 times found in aspen grove , 0 times found in black oak dunes , . . .
101 times search , 0 times thatched nest , 11 times hand collecting , 1 times under rock , 0 times roadside , 0 times thached nest , 0 times thatch nest of pine needles , 0 times nest in thatch mound , 1 times observation , 0 times on sand by anthill , 0 times thatched log , . . .
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12 times found in shrub steppe , 2 times found in sagebrush , 6 times found in conifer forest , 5 times found in aspen forest , 2 times found in lodgepole pine forest , 0 times found in pinyon - cedar woodland , 0 times found in shortgrass prairie , 0 times found in black oak dunes , 2 times found in shrub steppe / aspen , 4 times found in sparse conifer woods , . . .
101 times search , 0 times thatched nest , 11 times hand collecting , 1 times under rock , 0 times roadside , 0 times thatch nest of pine needles , 0 times thached nest , 1 times observation , 0 times on sand by anthill , 0 times thatched log , 0 times grassy bench , . . .
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- bristles on all surfaces of hind tibiae ( but few or none on scapes ( cf . f . oreas )
- cross section of clypeus gently curved or curved with broadly obtuse medial angle ( cf . trapezoidal cross section of f . obscuriventris clypeus )
habitat changes from east to west - - sandy prairie and oak savanna ( michigan to minnesota , also iowa and way - northern missouri ) , dry - mesic tallgrass prairie ( nebraska , dakotas , canadian prairie provinces ) , mid - grass prairie , usually + / - riparian grassland ( western dakotas to new mexico ) , sagebrush / rabbitbrush steppe ( alberta to new mexico and great basin ) , conifer woodland and forest ( northern , incl . canadian rockies to washington and british columbia ) .
wheeler , g . c . ; wheeler , j . 1963 . the ants of north dakota . grand forks , north dakota : university of north dakota press , viii + 326 pp .
contributed by robin mcleod on 12 september , 2005 - 3 : 12am additional contributions by james c . trager last updated 19 august , 2014 - 11 : 22am
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contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content . click the contributor ' s name for licensing and usage information . everything else copyright © 2003 - 2018 iowa state university , unless otherwise noted .
that would be my guess as well , but i ' m not an ant expert .
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bradley ga , hinks jd ( 1968 ) ants , aphids , and jack pine in manitoba . can entomol 100 : 40–50
( forel ) and its influence on arthropoda of jack pine . m . s . thesis . michigan state university , east lansing , michigan , 117 pp ( unpublished )
holldobler b , wilson e ( 1990 ) the ants . the belknap press of harvard university press , cambridge , massachusetts , 732 pp
wilson eo ( 1971 ) the insect societies . the belknap press of harvard university press , cambridge , massachusetts , 548 pp
( forel ) ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . in : capinera j . l . ( eds ) encyclopedia of entomology . springer , dordrecht
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disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
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discuss anything related to ants from keeping them as pets to removing them as pests .
this area contains observers ' notes , photographs / pictures , and / or videos detailing field observations on ants . think of this as a collection of diaries / journals / logs ( please put exact date and location in the thread titles ) for observation . put locality information of the ant occurrences . any additional details on habitat ( soil , vegetation ) , microhabitat ( nest site ) , prey , other species interactions , weather conditions , etc . will also be welcome . basically , post details ! use keeping ants area for documenting on keeping ants . also , this area includes all kinds of sightings like nuptial flight , ant identifications , and even on the television ( tv ) , movie screens , and internet .
hello . welcome to the message board . wonderful post ( very clean ) .
? also , be sure to search and read the other forum threads . your questions might had been answered already .
still we live meanly , like ants ; . . . like pygmies we fight with cranes ; . . . our life is frittered away by detail . simplify . . . simplify . . .
- - henry thoreau
/ \ _ _ _ / \ / / \ / \ \ ant ( aka antdude ) , your host & fearless overlord | | o o | | \ _ / < ! - - ezcode link start - - > < a href =
urltoken
> the ant farm < / a > < ! - - ezcode link end - - > , < ! - - ezcode link start - - > < a href =
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> ant ' s quality foraged links ( aqfl ) < / a > < ! - - ezcode link end - - > , and this < ! - - ezcode link start - - > < a href =
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> forum < / a > < ! - - ezcode link end - - > . ( )
ant ( dude ) @ the ant farm ( urltoken / urltoken ) and here ( urltoken ) . quote of the week :
i got worms ! that ' s what we ' re going to call it . we ' re going to specialize in selling worm farms . you know like ant farms . what ' s the matter , a little tense about the flight ?
- - lloyd christmas ( dumb and dumber movie )
well , the faq does tell me that the queens should be larger than the males , and have wider gasters . but i didn ' t find there whether i ' d have better luck looking on the nest or if i have to search out their nuptial ground .
i wouldn ' t keep your eyes out for just one species , odds are you wont find that 1 species . ive been looking for pheidole alates , for the past year and a half , but never can find them . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ my website tetramorium caespitum blog
i was going to start my queen with a couple dozen workers from the big nest - - they ' re polygynous and the fertilized queens often return to the nest . the nests also bud into satellite colonies .
actually , you need to find one that has shed her wings . otherwise , it is unlikely she will be fertile .
this area contains general tricks and information on ant rearing . also included are people ' s journals / diaries / logs on raising their ant colonies . some of them even have pictures and videos .
last edited by engwinner on june 3rd , 2010 , 1 : 12 am , edited 4 times in total .
big , healthy ant colonies . shipping worldwide since 2009 , we are creators of premium , museum standard formicariums and products .
i agree , such detailed observations ! looking forward to the next episode . ( :
awesome work , adoption successful so far ! they are pretty ants too . i ' ll be waiting with popcorn handy on your next entry .
very cool ! i myself just dug up an entire colony and have them in a bucket currently . i ' d like to do the same thing with another colony but put them in a clear fish tank instead . i purchased some fluon that works really well in keeping them in . if you ' re interested i could give you some one of these days ( you were in the puget sound region no ? ) .
i can ' t believe it ! i just caught a queen of the same species ( just posted here : urltoken i live in surrey - bc . i had no clue these queens did not start their own colonies . it appears my test tube setup will be futile . hmmm , perhaps i should release her ? or i could try what you did . so after they accept her as a queen , will you move them to another nest ? when do you think she will begin producing offspring ? i often see these ants build nests out of bark , and chips - do you think they would like a plaster mold ? cheers ,
the oil may or may not have helped , engwinner , but i certainly wouldn ' t leave the ants in it , as it could gunk up their integuments . adding pupae from a nest of this species may be the fastest way to increase colony size , until the queen starts laying .
doctorant wrote : adding pupae from a nest of this species may be the fastest way to increase colony size , until the queen starts laying .
dont thatch ants place hard tree sap on there mounds to keep them ' clean ' ? . maybe they might show interest in small bits . and half needles . i would suspect they would use other material then needles to make there nest also . take a small amount of the large wild nest and see what its fully composed of . unless you already haven ' t ! lol . good luck i really hope they work out . this species is really fascinating .
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these ants are obvious because of their large size , sometimes very large , organic nest - mounds , and colony populations in the tens , or hundreds of thousands . the worker caste is polymorphic , so large and small individuals ( majors and minors ) can be observed foraging , and performing other tasks .
in some cases , groupings of related nests form enormous supercolonies . one of these assemblages in oregon , usa , included 201 active nests , and an estimated population of over 56 million ants .


noctueliopsis aridalis is a moth in the crambidae family .

it was described by barnes and benjamin in 1922 .

it is found in north america , where it has been recorded from arizona , california and nevada .

the habitat consists of deserts .

the length of the forewings is 5.5-6.5 mm .

adults have been recorded on wing from march to june .

noctueliopsis aridalis

photographs are the copyrighted property of each photographer listed . contact individual photographers for permission to use for any purpose .
powell , j . a . & p . a . opler , moths of western north america , pl . 22 . 2m ; p . 171 . book review and ordering
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upcoming events 2018 bugguide gathering in virginia july 27 - 29 : registration and discussion photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in wisconsin , july 10 - 12 photos of insects and people from the 2014 gathering in virginia , june 4 - 7 . photos of insects and people from the 2013 gathering in arizona , july 25 - 28 photos of insects and people from the 2012 gathering in alabama photos of insects and people from the 2011 gathering in iowa photos from the 2010 workshop in grinnell , iowa photos from the 2009 gathering in washington
disclaimer : dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service . we strive to provide accurate information , but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world . if you need expert professional advice , contact your local extension office .
contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content . click the contributor ' s name for licensing and usage information . everything else copyright © 2003 - 2018 iowa state university , unless otherwise noted .
you ' d think with those colors and that pattern this one would be easy , but i didn ' t see a match in my holland moth guide .
interesting . we don ' t seem to have a guide page for that yet , and i don ' t see it at the moth photographers group either , but i do see one at cal photos . just wish i had had a ring flash and a decent macro lens when i took the photo . ( i had just made the transition to dslr about a month before that trip . )
. . . . all of the microleps through pyraloidea ( different photos of the same specimens that appear in mwna ) will be on plates and species pages at mpg within a week or so . ( no rsvp , thanks )
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noctuelia pandoralis barnes & mcdunnough , 1914 ; contr . nat . hist . lep . n . am . 2 ( 6 ) : 244 , pl . 2 , f . 13 ; tl : deming , new mexico
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[ nacl ] ; hodges , 1983 check list of the lepidoptera of america north of mexico check list lep . am . n of mexico
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