Desiccation-physiology

Guides

• Pogonomyrmex barbatus

  red harvester ant, red ant

  Pogonomyrmex barbatus is a large harvester ant native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Colonies construct underground nests up to 2.5 meters deep in exposed areas, often marked by conspicuous cleared nest disks. Workers forage primarily for seeds, with foraging activity regulated through olfactory interactions involving brief antennal contacts that assess cuticular hydrocarbon profiles and seed odors. The species exhibits notable physiological variation among colonies in desiccation tolerance and foraging behavior, with some colonies reducing foraging in dry conditions while others maintain activity.

  harvester-antseed-dispersalmyrmecochorydesiccation-physiologydependent-lineage-systemnestmate-recognitionSchmidt-Sting-Pain-Indexkeystone-speciesindigenous-useant-plant-interactions