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Photo#900217
ants in copula - Prenolepis imparis

ants in copula - Prenolepis imparis
Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, USA
March 10, 2014
there was a swarm in my backyard. I netted this queen with male attached. Please help ID. Harvester ants?

Moved
Not a harvester, but a nectarivore and scavenger. These have replete workers (technically lipergates, meaning fat-workers) that store food in fall-spring, convert it to whitish fat, then convert that to glandular secretions which feed the entire colony through the heat of summer, when they do not forage. A good example of a lipergate that has already gained about half of its fat (by February) is this picture:

 
ohh.
thanks for the ID and information!!

Prenolepis imapris
One of the first ants to swarm in the spring.

Moved for expert attention
Moved from ID Request.

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