Polycalism-hypothesis
Guides
Formica dakotensis
dakotensis-group Mound Ants
Formica dakotensis is a mound-building ant species in the genus Formica, native to North America. A four-year field study in Quebec documented stable populations with mean colony densities of approximately 172 colonies per hectare in spruce bog habitats. The species exhibits annual colony turnover rates around 18-24%, with colony longevity estimated from continuous nest occupation patterns. Its nest-building behavior has been hypothesized as a potential evolutionary step toward polycalism in the genus.