Mary-treat
Guides
Aphaenogaster mariae
Mary's Collared Ant
Aphaenogaster mariae is a rarely collected arboreal ant species endemic to the eastern United States. First described in 1886 from specimens collected in Florida by Mary Treat, it remained poorly known until 2021 when the first complete nest was documented in North Carolina. Unlike most congeners that nest in soil or rotting logs, this species inhabits dead branches and under live bark of mature hardwoods, particularly oaks. The first males were photographed and described in 2023, enabling a complete taxonomic redescription of the caste.
Dolichoderus mariae
Mary's Odorous Ant
Dolichoderus mariae is a distinctive North American ant species named after naturalist Mary Treat, who discovered it. The species is notable for its reddish-brown and black bicolored appearance, large polydomous colonies with dozens of nests, and its specialized ecology in prairie and glade habitats where it nests among plant roots. Colonies exhibit dramatic seasonal fluctuations in nest numbers and worker populations, and engage in territorial aggression with neighboring colonies.