Disturbance-tolerant
Guides
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.
Strymon istapa
Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, Mallow Hairstreak, Dotted Hairstreak, Hewitson's Hairstreak
Strymon istapa is a widespread hairstreak butterfly found in xeric habitats across the southern United States, Central America, and parts of the Caribbean. It is notably adaptable to human-altered landscapes, frequently occurring in rural and suburban areas with open fields or overgrown weeds resulting from land clearing. The species exhibits a distinctive behavioral trait of rubbing its hindwings together, presumably to draw attention to antenna-mimicking scales on the hindwing margin. Multiple common names reflect its association with mallow vegetation and its spotted wing pattern.