Honeypot Ants

Myrmecocystus

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Superfamily: Formicoidea
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Lasiini
Genus: Myrmecocystus

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Myrmecocystus: /mɪrmɛkoʊˈsɪstəs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Myrmecocystus mexicanus navajo by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Myrmecocystus yuma by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Myrmecocystus mexicanus var. melanoticus by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Myrmecocystus melliger mendex var. comatus by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Myrmecocystus melliger mimicus var. jesuita by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Summary

Myrmecocystus is a genus of honeypot ants known for their unique behavior of forming living storage containers that help sustain the colony during difficult times. They engage in territorial behaviors and can exhibit intraspecific slavery by raiding other colonies.

Physical Characteristics

Some members of the colony become living storage containers, their abdomens greatly swollen with food, hanging from the ceilings of nest chambers.

Habitat

Arid regions of western North America.

Distribution

Primarily found in arid regions of western North America.

Diet

Feeds on nutritious fluid stored in the abdomens of plerergates and other resources available in the environment.

Ecosystem Role

Plays a role in the storage of nutrients for the colony during famine and in ecological interactions with other species through territorial behavior.