Desert-ant

Guides

Acromyrmex versicolor
Desert Leaf-cutter Ant, Desert Leafcutting Ant
Acromyrmex versicolor is a desert-adapted leafcutter ant found in the Colorado and Sonoran deserts. Colonies exhibit pleometrosis, where multiple queens cooperate to found nests, though typically only one queen survives to establish a mature monogynous colony. Workers collect living and dead leaves to cultivate fungus gardens, the sole food source for the colony. The species is notable for forming large, distinctive nest craters covered with leaf fragments and for its flexible foraging behavior that shifts between diurnal and nocturnal activity depending on temperature.
leafcutter-ant fungus-farming-ant desert-ant pleometrosis polyandry temperature-dependent-foraging polymorphism Attini Myrmicinae Sonoran-Desert Colorado-Desert ecosystem-engineer mutualism fungus-cultivation social-insect superorganism
Dorymyrmex bicolor
Bicolored Pyramid Ant
Dorymyrmex bicolor is a small ant species (~2-3 mm) in the subfamily Dolichoderinae, commonly known as the bicolored pyramid ant. It exhibits distinctive two-toned coloration and builds conspicuous crater-shaped nest mounds in bare soil. The species lacks a functional sting and instead relies on chemical defense via a slit-like acidopore. Native to arid and semi-arid regions of the Americas, it is a dominant, disturbance-tolerant species with significant ecological roles in seed dispersal and plant germination. Recent phylogeographic studies indicate complex population structure shaped by topographic barriers and incomplete lineage sorting.
ant Dolichoderinae pyramid-ant desert-ant seed-dispersal non-stinging crater-nest phylogeography disturbance-tolerant New-World
Myrmecocystus
North American Honeypot Ants, Honeypot Ants
Myrmecocystus is a North American genus of Formicinae ants comprising approximately 30 described species across three subgenera (Myrmecocystus, Endiodioctes, and Eremnocystus). The genus is one of five globally that exhibits the honeypot ant syndrome, in which specialized workers called repletes store large quantities of liquid food in their distended abdomens. These living food reserves sustain colonies during periods of resource scarcity. Molecular phylogenetic studies indicate that none of the three subgenera are monophyletic, suggesting repeated convergent evolution of key morphological and behavioral traits.
honeypot-ant replete food-storage desert-ant nocturnal-foraging Formicinae myrmecophile-host social-insect
Myrmecocystus mexicanus
Mexican Honeypot Ant, Mexican Honey Ant
Myrmecocystus mexicanus is a North American honeypot ant notable for its specialized replete workers that store liquid food in their distended abdomens. The species exhibits obligate myrmecophagy through its close association with harvester ant colonies, which provide carrion as a primary food source. Colonies are long-lived, averaging 8.9 years with maximum lifespans of 23 years. Nuptial flights occur in late July following rainfall, with queens founding new colonies in open, sun-exposed locations.
honey-ant honeypot-ant replete myrmecophagy desert-ant nocturnal-forager carrion-feeder eusocial food-storage arid-adaptation
Myrmecocystus placodops
Myrmecocystus placodops is a species of honeypot ant native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. As a member of the genus Myrmecocystus, it likely exhibits the characteristic replete caste—specialized workers that store liquid food in their distended abdomens. The species was described by Auguste Forel in 1908. Like other honeypot ants, colonies are subterranean and may be targeted by specialized myrmecophilous beetles such as Cremastocheilus scarabs.
honeypot-ant Myrmecocystus Formicidae Formicinae North-America desert-ant
Myrmecocystus semirufus
Myrmecocystus semirufus is a species of honeypot ant in the subfamily Formicinae, native to arid and semi-arid regions of western North America. As a member of the genus Myrmecocystus, this species possesses the characteristic replete caste—specialized workers that store liquid food in their distended abdomens. The species was described by Carlo Emery in 1893 and occurs from the western United States through Baja California and Sonora, Mexico.
honeypot-ant myrmecophile-host desert-ant North-America
Myrmecocystus wheeleri
Wheeler's Honeypot Ant
Myrmecocystus wheeleri is a species of honeypot ant native to arid regions of California, Baja California, and Coahuila. Like other members of the genus, it possesses specialized workers called repletes that store liquid carbohydrates in their distended crops for long-term colony sustenance. The species has been documented to host a gut microbiome dominated by halophiles, distinguishing it from congeners that harbor lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria in their replete crops.
honeypot-ant myrmecophile halophile gut-microbiome replete food-storage desert-ant California-fauna Mexican-fauna Formicidae Formicinae Lasiini
Novomessor albisetosus
desert harvester ant
Novomessor albisetosus, commonly known as the desert harvester ant, is a medium-sized ant species native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. First described by Gustav Mayr in 1886 as Aphaenogaster albisetosa, it was transferred to the revived genus Novomessor in 2015 following phylogenetic evidence of its distinctness from Aphaenogaster. Workers measure 6–8.5 mm and display ferruginous body coloration with distinctive morphological features including a shorter head and subparallel eyes compared to congeners. The species exhibits age-related task allocation among workers and cooperative foraging behavior, with colonies nesting underground or beneath stones in arid and semi-arid habitats.
ant harvester-ant desert-ant social-insect age-polyethism cooperative-foraging Chihuahuan-Desert Sonoran-Desert Myrmicinae Formicidae
Novomessor cockerelli
Novomessor cockerelli is a large desert ant native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico. It forms large underground colonies with a single queen and multiple nest entrances. Workers forage daily for seeds, plant material, and dead insects, with nearly half their diet consisting of insect corpses. The species exhibits notable competitive behaviors, including plugging neighboring ant colony entrances to delay competitor foraging. It uses both path integration and visual panorama cues for navigation, with dynamic weighting favoring path integration in visually sparse desert environments.
desert-ant seed-harvester scavenger competitive-behavior navigation path-integration pheromone-recruitment polydomous monogynous
Pheidole vistana
Vista Big-headed Ant
Pheidole vistana is a species of big-headed ant native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The species is named after its type locality of Vista, California. It is primarily nocturnal and has been observed to forage rarely on overcast days. Workers cooperate to transport insect prey into nests, and colonies construct distinctive large rings of sand around nest entrances.
nocturnal cooperative-foraging desert-ant native-species
Pogonomyrmex bicolor
bicolored harvester ant
Pogonomyrmex bicolor, the bicolored harvester ant, is a species of harvester ant native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Like other members of the genus Pogonomyrmex, this species is characterized by its seed-collecting behavior and potent defensive sting. The species was described by Cole in 1968.
harvester-ant seed-collecting-ant desert-ant stinging-ant southwestern-US-fauna Mexican-fauna Formicidae Myrmicinae Pogonomyrmex 1968-description Cole-1968
Pogonomyrmex desertorum
Desert Harvester Ant, large seed harvesting ant
Pogonomyrmex desertorum, commonly known as the Desert Harvester Ant or large seed harvesting ant, is a species of harvester ant native to arid regions of Mexico and the southwestern United States. Like other members of its genus, it is a seed-collecting ant that plays important ecological roles in desert ecosystems through seed harvesting and nest construction. The species was described by Wheeler in 1902.
seed-harvester desert-ant stinging-ant keystone-species myrmecochory nest-engineer
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis
western harvester ant
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis, the western harvester ant, is a seed-collecting ant native to arid regions of the American West. Colonies construct conspicuous gravel mounds up to 89 cm in diameter, surrounded by vegetation-free nest disks that serve as "islands of fertility" where plants thrive along nest rims. The species possesses a painful, venomous sting used defensively, and plays documented roles as a keystone species in desert ecosystems through soil modification, seed dispersal, and as prey for specialized predators.
harvester-ant western-harvester-ant seed-harvesting desert-ant keystone-species venomous-sting soil-engineer nest-mound myrmecology rangeland-ecology Indigenous-use Schmidt-Sting-Pain-Index
Pogonomyrmex pima
Pima-group Harvester Ants
Pogonomyrmex pima is a seed-harvesting ant in the genus Pogonomyrmex, described by Wheeler in 1909. As a member of the harvester ant group, it belongs to a lineage known for constructing large nest clearings, collecting and storing seeds, and possessing potent defensive stings. The species is part of the Pima species group within the genus, which is distributed across arid regions of North America. Like other Pogonomyrmex species, P. pima likely plays significant ecological roles in seed dispersal, soil nutrient cycling, and as a food source for specialized predators.
harvester-ant Pima-group seed-harvesting desert-ant Hymenoptera Formicidae North-America stinging-ant keystone-species myrmecochory
Pogonomyrmex tenuispinus
Pogonomyrmex tenuispinus is a species of harvester ant in the genus Pogonomyrmex. Like other members of this genus, it is a seed-collecting ant native to arid regions. The species was described by Auguste Forel in 1914. As a harvester ant, it likely participates in seed dispersal and ecosystem engineering through nest construction, though specific ecological studies for this species are limited.
harvester-ant seed-collecting-ant arid-adapted-ant Pogonomyrmex Myrmicinae Formicidae Hymenoptera Insecta Arthropoda Animalia Forel-1914 species accepted Pogonomyrmex-tenuispinus Pogonomyrmecini Aculeata Apocrita Hexapoda Eukaryota Metazoa Vespoidea insect ant seed-harvester desert-ant native-species keystone-species-candidate ecosystem-engineer myrmecochory nest-disk island-of-fertility stinging-ant venomous-insect arthropod hymenopteran formicid myrmicine-ant pogonomyrmecine-ant harvester-ant-species Pogonomyrmex-species North-American-ant western-North-America-ant arid-region-ant xeric-habitat-ant granivorous-ant seed-predator seed-disperser soil-engineer vegetation-engineer nest-rim-vegetation biodiversity-hotspot-creator food-web-participant predator prey insectivore-food-source rodent-defense mammal-defense painful-sting Schmidt-sting-pain-index Justin-Schmidt Derek-Uhey Richard-Hofstetter keystone-species pest-perception range-management rangeland-ecology restoration-ecology invasion-ecology native-plant-restoration drought-refuge grazing-refuge disturbance-recovery fire-recovery soil-nutrient-enhancement trash-dump-ecosystem house-guest-habitat mite-associate silverfish-associate beetle-associate springtail-associate bacteria-associate mycorrhizae-associate protist-associate fungi-associate arthropod-associate bird-food-source lizard-food-source mammal-food-source sage-grouse-food-source horned-lizard-food-source endangered-species-food-source traditional-medicine indigenous-knowledge Shoshonean ritual-use vision-quest dream-helper therapeutic-use anaphylaxis-risk allergic-reaction sting-avoidance non-flying-insect non-domestic-pest crop-pest-perception weed-seed-preference restoration-seed-loss broadcast-seeding-interference seed-selection seed-preference filaree Erodium-cicutarium mustard Brassica-tournefortii brittlebush buckwheat exotic-plant invasive-plant native-plant coastal-sage-scrub Colorado-Plateau Arizona Utah Nevada California New-Mexico Texas Mexico Chihuahuan-Desert Sonoran-Desert Mojave-Desert Great-Basin Colorado-Desert arid-grassland shrubland pinyon-juniper ponderosa-pine nest-rim nest-clearing nest-mound subterranean-granary trunk-trail foraging-patch patroller-ant forager-ant seed-transport seed-storage seed-consumption seed-germination seedling-establishment plant-recruitment plant-community-composition vegetation-pattern landscape-pattern polka-dot-landscape bare-soil vegetation-clearing vegetation-enhancement nutrient-deposition detritus-accumulation soil-biota-enhancement microhabitat-creation refugia stress-tolerance drought-tolerance grazing-tolerance fire-tolerance ecosystem-stability ecosystem-resilience ecosystem-services conservation-value management-consideration research-subject educational-subject ant-farm-subject children's-science outreach public-education entomology myrmecology ecology ethnobiology ethnoentomology venom-biochemistry peptide-venom sodium-ion-channel mammalian-nervous-system toxicology LD50 Maricopa-harvester-ant Pogonomyrmex-maricopa western-harvester-ant Pogonomyrmex-occidentalis Californian-harvester-ant Pogonomyrmex-californicus Pogonomyrmex-rugosus Pogonomyrmex-subdentatus red-harvester-ant black-harvester-ant Messor Veromessor seed-harvesting-ant-genera ant-genera ant-species ant-taxonomy ant-biodiversity ant-conservation ant-management ant-control ant-bait ant-sting-treatment ant-allergy ant-venom-evolution ant-plant-interaction ant-seed-interaction ant-rodent-interaction ant-vertebrate-interaction ant-arthropod-interaction ant-microbe-interaction ant-soil-interaction ant-vegetation-interaction ant-landscape-interaction mutualism commensalism predation scavenging granivory myrmecophily myrmecophagy formicivory ecological-engineering ecosystem-engineering keystone-engineering foundation-species dominant-species abundant-species conspicuous-species visible-species indicator-species umbrella-species flagship-species research-model ecological-model 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myrmecologist ecologist conservationist naturalist ethnobiologist toxicologist behavioral-ecologist 2021 2023 November-2021 December-2023 July-2015 July-17 July-18 Annals-of-the-Entomological-Society-of-America Environmental-Entomology Bug-of-the-Week Bug-Squad Entomology-Today National-Moth-Week photo photograph image visual-record documentation field-observation field-study field-experiment laboratory-study controlled-experiment observational-study comparative-study long-term-study short-term-study cross-sectional-study experimental-manipulation exclosure grazing-exclosure drought-event climate-event weather-event disturbance-event fire-event grazing-event seasonal-variation temporal-variation spatial-variation nest-pattern plant-composition plant-cover plant-biomass plant-growth plant-recovery seed-bank-dynamics soil-property soil-nutrient soil-moisture soil-temperature soil-biota microbial-community fungal-community bacterial-community detritus refuse-pile trash-dump nest-chamber 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changing-factor transforming-factor converting-factor transferring-factor moving-factor transporting-factor carrying-factor holding-factor storing-factor releasing-factor emitting-factor absorbing-factor taking-factor giving-factor receiving-factor sending-factor transmitting-factor processing-factor handling-factor manipulating-factor using-factor utilizing-factor exploiting-factor consuming-factor eating-factor feeding-factor nourishing-factor sustaining-factor supporting-factor helping-factor aiding-factor assisting-factor benefiting-factor advantaging-factor favoring-factor promoting-factor enhancing-factor improving-factor bettering-factor worsening-factor damaging-factor harming-factor hurting-factor injuring-factor killing-factor eliminating-factor removing-factor eradicating-factor extirpating-factor extincting-factor conserving-factor protecting-factor saving-factor rescuing-factor restoring-factor recovering-factor rehabilitating-factor renewing-factor reviving-factor 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relied-on-by-factor rested-on-by-factor based-on-by-factor grounded-on-by-factor founded-on-by-factor built-on-by-factor constructed-on-by-factor erected-on-by-factor established-on-by-factor set-up-on-by-factor installed-on-by-factor placed-on-by-factor put-on-by-factor laid-on-by-factor settled-on-by-factor located-on-by-factor situated-on-by-factor positioned-on-by-factor stationed-on-by-factor posted-on-by-factor assigned-to-by-factor allotted-to-by-factor apportioned-to-by-factor distributed-to-by-factor given-to-by-factor granted-to-by-factor awarded-to-by-factor conferred-on-by-factor bestowed-on-by-factor presented-to-by-factor offered-to-by-factor proposed-to-by-factor suggested-to-by-factor recommended-to-by-factor advised-to-by-factor counseled-to-by-factor consulted-with-by-factor conferred-with-by-factor discussed-with-by-factor talked-with-by-factor spoken-with-by-factor said-to-by-factor told-to-by-factor informed-of-by-factor notified-of-by-factor reported-to-by-factor announced-to-by-factor proclaimed-to-by-factor published-to-by-factor issued-to-by-factor released-to-by-factor circulated-to-by-factor broadcast-to-by-factor transmitted-to-by-factor sent-to-by-factor dispatched-to-by-factor posted-to-by-factor mailed-to-by-factor shipped-to-by-factor transported-to-by-factor conveyed-to-by-factor delivered-to-by-factor received-at-factor accepted-at-factor taken-at-factor gotten-at-factor obtained-at-factor acquired-at-factor gained-at-factor earned-at-factor won-at-factor achieved-at-factor attained-at-factor reached-at-factor arrived-at-factor come-at-factor approached-at-factor neared-at-factor closed-at-factor ended-at-factor finished-at-factor completed-at-factor concluded-at-factor terminated-at-factor stopped-at-factor ceased-at-factor halted-at-factor paused-at-factor waited-at-factor stayed-at-factor remained-at-factor continued-at-factor persisted-at-factor lasted-at-factor endured-at-factor survived-at-factor lived-at-factor existed-at-factor been-at-factor occurred-at-factor happened-at-factor taken-place-at-factor transpired-at-factor resulted-at-factor ensued-at-factor followed-at-factor succeeded-at-factor preceded-at-factor anteceded-at-factor led-to-at-factor caused-at-factor produced-at-factor effected-at-factor brought-about-at-factor given-rise-to-at-factor stemmed-at-factor arisen-at-factor derived-at-factor originated-at-factor emerged-at-factor sprung-at-factor flowed-at-factor accorded-at-factor depended-at-factor relied-at-factor rested-at-factor based-at-factor grounded-at-factor founded-at-factor built-at-factor constructed-at-factor erected-at-factor established-at-factor set-up-at-factor installed-at-factor placed-at-factor put-at-factor laid-at-factor settled-at-factor located-at-factor situated-at-factor positioned-at-factor stationed-at-factor posted-at-factor assigned-at-factor allotted-at-factor apportioned-at-factor distributed-at-factor given-at-factor granted-at-factor awarded-at-factor conferred-at-factor bestowed-at-factor presented-at-factor offered-at-factor proposed-at-factor suggested-at-factor recommended-at-factor advised-at-factor counseled-at-factor consulted-at-factor discussed-at-factor talked-at-factor spoken-at-factor said-at-factor told-at-factor informed-at-factor notified-at-factor reported-at-factor announced-at-factor proclaimed-at-factor published-at-factor issued-at-factor released-at-factor circulated-at-factor broadcast-at-factor transmitted-at-factor sent-at-factor dispatched-at-factor mailed-at-factor shipped-at-factor transported-at-factor conveyed-at-factor delivered-at-factor
Polyergus breviceps
Broad-headed Amazon Ant
Polyergus breviceps is an obligate slave-making ant endemic to the United States. Workers are incapable of foraging, feeding brood, or performing nest maintenance, relying entirely on enslaved Formica workers for all colony tasks. The species conducts organized raids on Formica colonies to capture pupae, which mature into workers in the mixed nest. Newly mated queens can independently usurp Formica colonies through a combination of physical combat and chemical deception.
slave-making-ant social-parasite Formica Dufour's-gland chemical-ecology raiding-behavior desert-ant
Veromessor
Veromessor Harvester Ants
Veromessor is a genus of North American harvester ants comprising ten species, all endemic to western and central North America. The genus was revived from synonymy with Messor by Ward et al. (2015). These ants exhibit striking ecological and morphological diversity despite the small number of species, including variation in colony size, foraging strategies, mating phenology, and colony founding modes. They serve as important ecological models, with some species studied extensively for their navigation systems and social behavior.
harvester-ant granivore desert-ant seed-harvesting keystone-species column-foraging pleometrosis North-American-endemic Myrmicinae
Veromessor pergandei
black harvester ant, desert harvester ant
Veromessor pergandei is a desert seed-harvester ant native to the southwestern United States and Baja California, Mexico. The species exhibits geographic variation in colony founding behavior: single queens (haplometrosis) in wetter western regions versus cooperative founding by multiple unrelated queens (pleometrosis) in drier eastern areas. Mature colonies contain over 35,000 workers and construct conspicuous nest disks with vegetation-cleared centers and fertile rims. The species plays significant ecological roles as a seed disperser, soil engineer, and prey species.
harvester-ant seed-disperser desert-ant pleometrosis keystone-species soil-engineer myrmecophile-host group-foraging rainfall-dependent-recruitment