A field study of the nesting ecology of the thatching ant, Formica obscuripes Forel, at high altitude in Colorado

Authors

John R. Conway, University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania

Abstract

A field study of the thatching ant, Formica obscuripes Forel, at 2560 m elevation in Colorado provided information on mound density, composition, dimensions, and temperatures; worker longevity; and mite parasitization. Density was 115 mounds/ha. Mounds had 1–52 entrances and Peromyscus fecal pellets in the thatch. Mounds conserved heat and exhibited thermal stratification. Excavations of 4 nests revealed depths of 0.3 m to almost 1 m, novel myrmecophiles, and 0–198 wingless queens per nest. Marking experiments demonstrated that some workers overwinter and live more than a year.

Recommended Citation

Conway, John R. (1996) "A field study of the nesting ecology of the thatching ant, Formica obscuripes Forel, at high altitude in Colorado," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 56: No. 4, Article 6.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol56/iss4/6