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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) » Odorous Ants (Dolichoderinae) » Tapinomini » Tapinoma » Odorous House Ant (Tapinoma sessile)

Species Tapinoma sessile - Odorous House Ant

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited
Ants under rock with queens? - Tapinoma sessile ant - Tapinoma sessile ants under rock - Tapinoma sessile Odorous House Ant - Tapinoma sessile tiny high speed ant - Tapinoma sessile ants - Tapinoma sessile Tapinoma sessile - female odorous house ant - Tapinoma sessile - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)
Superfamily Formicoidea (Ants)
Family Formicidae (Ants)
Subfamily Dolichoderinae (Odorous Ants)
Tribe Tapinomini
Genus Tapinoma
Species sessile (Odorous House Ant)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
In the news: This species was described by 19th century American entomologist Thomas Say, from the utopian community of New Harmony, Indiana, but the types were lost. An Aug 2010 paper designated a neotype from Thomas Say's grave site. Cool, eh?
Explanation of Names
Tapinoma is derived from a Greek word for fallen or more precisely, dejection. The author may have referred to its general lowliness, to the physically depressed (slightly flattened) head and gaster, or to its humble coloration (In any of these ways it can make sense.)
The adjective sessile means stalkless, in reference to the appearance of the gaster in most views of this ant. In fact, as clearly visible in the following image, this ant has a "stalk" or petiole, but it is small and lacks a node.
Tapinoma sessile image
Numbers
Antennae 12-segmented.
Palp formula 6,4.
Mandibles with 10+ teeth, apical, subapical and 4th from apex notably larger than the rest.
Visible gastral tergites 4.
Size
workers 2-3mm
sexuals (both genders) 4-5mm
Identification
The low, nodeless petiole is distinctive, but often is not readily visible. However, it is clearly seen in these images:
Range
Southern Canada to northern Mexico, coast to coast.
Habitat
Generally, any mesic or moist (but infrequently flooded) habitat. (1)
Virtually ubiquitous except in hot deserts (only in oases), cold alpine forests (but found in alpine meadows), or above timberline. Very abundant in the "human habitats" of most of the USA and southern Canada, but diminishing abundance in the Sunbelt.
Season
Active early in spring, often in people's kitchens.
Mating flights are in May south, June north.
Food
Sweets and scavenged protein and fats.
Life Cycle
This ant appears to have distinct spring and summer forms, larger and darker individuals overwinter, smaller and paler ones are more abundant during the "dog days".
Sexuals fly late spring.
Remarks
Alates are reared in spring, not uncommonly in wall spaces or window frames of houses, but naturally in the upper portions of leaf piles, under bark, etc.

Recent genetic studies indicate this may turn out to be a complex of 4 or so cryptic species.
Internet References
The classic paper by American myrmecologist, Marion R. Smith on Tapinoma sessile
Works Cited
1.Ants of the Southeastern United States by Joe A. MacGown
Contributed by tom murray on 19 November, 2006 - 4:30pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Vox Sciurorum, ceiseman, James C. Trager, Harsi S. Parker
Last updated 11 December, 2020 - 7:54pm

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