Polydomous
Guides
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.
Lasius neoniger
turfgrass ant, Labour day ant, cornfield ant, nuisance ant
Lasius neoniger is a small ant species native to North America, most abundant in the eastern United States and Canada. It is notable for its polydomous colony structure with multiple nest entrances, strong worker fidelity to specific entrances, and seasonal territorial expansion correlated with foraging activity. The species is a known host for the parasitoid wasp Pseudometagea schwarzii and has been documented engaging in competitive confrontations with imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta).
Liometopum apiculatum
Escamolera Ant, Velvet Tree Ant
Liometopum apiculatum is a Neotropical dolichoderine ant with significant ecological and economic importance. Colonies are large and polydomous, ranging from a few hundred to hundreds of thousands of workers. The species is notable for its distinctive carton-like nest construction and its role as a traditional food source in Mexico, where the larvae and pupae (escamoles) are harvested. It inhabits diverse arid and semi-arid vegetation types across southwestern North America.
Liometopum occidentale
velvety tree ant, Western Velvety Tree Ant
Liometopum occidentale, commonly known as the velvety tree ant, is a species of ant in the subfamily Dolichoderinae native to western North America. The species is frequently misidentified as carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.) due to shared morphological traits including polymorphic workers, a smooth convex thoracic profile, and wood-excavating behavior. This misidentification has led to underreporting of its significance as a structural pest in California, Oregon, and Washington. Colonies are large and polydomous, with worker populations estimated between 40,000 and 60,000 individuals.
Myrmica rubra
European fire ant, common red ant
Myrmica rubra is a widespread Palaearctic ant species native to Europe, now invasive in parts of North America and Asia. Workers are reddish-brown with darker heads, 3.5–5.5 mm in length. The species exhibits complex social structure with both macrogynes and microgynes, and colonies are polygyne and polydomous. It serves as a host for several myrmecophilous butterflies and has been documented transmitting viruses through scavenging behavior.
Novomessor
Desert Long-legged Ants
Novomessor is a genus of desert-dwelling ants comprising three species. The genus was described by Carlo Emery in 1915, treated as a synonym of Aphaenogaster for decades, and reinstated as valid in 2015 based on phylogenetic evidence. Species inhabit arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where they function as important granivores and exhibit sophisticated foraging behaviors including cooperative prey retrieval and multimodal navigation.
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.
Pseudomyrmex pallidus
Pallidus-group Twig Ants
Pseudomyrmex pallidus is a small, slender ant species native to the Nearctic and Neotropical realms, with an extensive range from the southern United States through Central America and into South America. Workers are monomorphic and exhibit variable coloration from yellow to orange or brown. The species nests exclusively in hollow stems of dead grasses and woody twigs, typically at the interface of grassy and wooded habitats. Colonies are facultatively polygynous and polydomous, containing 1–15 queens and 20–200 workers.