Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

Photo#383307
Formica ulkei - female

Formica ulkei - Female
State Game Lands 109, Erie County, Pennsylvania, USA
April 30, 2007
These robust, unfamiliar Formica were crossing a path through wetlands and wooded swamp. The heads appear conspicuously darker than the thoracic color. They were relatively aggressive.

Update-This has been identified as Formica ulkei, which is a new species and will need a new page created in the exsecta group.

Images of this individual: tag all
Formica ulkei - female Formica ulkei - female Formica ulkei - female Formica ulkei - female Formica ulkei Formica ulkei - female

Frassed
Moved from Formica ulkei.

Moved
Moved from Formica ulkei.

Moved
Moved from exsecta group.

Moved
Moved from Formica.

F. ulkei?
After further research on antweb.org, Kye Hedlund's site, and in Wheeler (1913), I'm thinking these fit descriptions of Formica ulkei rather well. Leaving this at genus level for the time being.

 
I think you're right
Eco-ethology matches very well, as do the exsecta-group features (namely, hollow vertex and truncated 1rst urotergite), well visible on the finger-biting worker upon closer examination (modest size of the ant vs the finger also hints for the exsecta-group).

 
Great!
Dr. Trager has also communicated to me privately that he agrees with the identification of F. ulkei. This looks like a new species for the guide, and will need a new page created.

Moved
Moved from rufa group.

Moved
Moved from Formica.

Formica sp. (rufa group) - workers
One of the mound-building or thatching ants. Strikingly similar to European red Wood Ants (F. rufa and kin).

 
nest
Thanks! I have photographs of the nest as well. I'll upload one.

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.