Ant to be identified- approx 1/2 inch. - Formica

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Ants (Formicoidea) » Ants (Formicidae) » Formicinae » Formicini » Wood ants, mound ants, & field ants (Formica) » fusca group (Formica fusca group)

Photo#1675815

Copyright © 2019 Fred Morrison

Ant to be identified- approx 1/2 inch. - Formica -

Wareham, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA
June 14, 2019
Size: Approx 1/2 inch

Ants have white-ish shadings on head, shoulders and front of rear section.
These ants live in sandy soil/poor loam, in yard of poor grass.
They seem to forage throughout yard and on my deck.
I'd like to know they aren't also eating deck or home.
I have seen one much larger ant, approx 3/4 inch, wingless, but cannot say they are related.
Took a spadeful of earth in area of ant holes, and found many ants within 3 inches of surface. No larvae or others types noted.
Any help is appreciated! Thanks very much,
Fred

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Contributed by Fred Morrison on 14 June, 2019 - 1:50pm
Last updated 19 June, 2019 - 5:17pm

Moved

Moved from Ants.

… Steven Wang, 19 June, 2019 - 5:17pm

a Formica species

I find some of these tough to ID. Yours looks like it is in the F. subsericea complex of species.
I suspect it is Formica subsericea.
Not a carpenter ant so doubt it will eat your deck

Wait for an expert for a positive ID

… A.W. Thomas, 17 June, 2019 - 2:37pm

Not eating my deck

Thanks Tony. I appreciate this feedback.
Fred

… Fred Morrison, 17 June, 2019 - 2:41pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Bob Biagi, 16 June, 2019 - 10:53am

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