Formica podzolica

Formica podzolica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Formicini
Genus:	Formica
Species:	F. podzolica
Binomial name
	Formica podzolica; Francoeur, 1973 Specimen labels

Nests are found under stones or logs, or in soil with small mounds (up to 50 cm diameter), sometimes with a covering of pebbles or thatching, in rocky loam soils. It is a host for the slavemaking species Formica aserva (Ruano et al., 2018; Savolainen & Deslippe, 2001; de la Mora et al., 2021), Formica pergandei, Formica subintegra and Polyergus mexicanus (Trager, 2013; de la Mora et al., 2021).

At a Glance

• Polygynous

Photo Gallery

Male Formica podzolica from a mound of small pebbles and Tsuga needles at base of a birch tree, sniffing the wind before taking flight. This is the second most abundant ant in the sandy soils of urban, park, and roadside settings of Northern Door Co. Wisconsin (after Lasius neoniger, and with all others far behind). There were several dealate queens of this species at various localities later in the day. Photo by James Trager, 11:00hr, 25 July 2016.
Worker at the nest entrance, Door Co. Wisconsin. Photo by James Trager.

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Widespread in North America. Mexico: Chihuahua.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 69.333333° to 31.4°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: Canada (type locality), United States.
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Distribution based on AntMaps

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.

Habitat

In New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Urban areas, meadows, pinyon-juniper, up to ponderosa pine-riparian, fir, aspen, sand spruce forests.

Biology

For New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Brood was present in July and August, sexuals in August, and dealate females were collected in July and August (with first brood). These ants nest together with Lasius, with the brood of the 2 genera mixed. One mixed nest included Formica argentea, Formica aserva, Formica obtusopilosa, Formica lasioides and Myrmica, another contained Camponotus pennsylvanicus, two nests were together with Myrmica. It is enslaved by Formica aserva, Formica pergandei and Polyergus mexicanus.

Association with Other Organisms

Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis asclepiadis (a trophobiont) (Mooney et al., 2008; Nielsen et al., 2009; Abdala-Roberts et al., 2012; Saddiqui et al., 2019).
This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis valerianae (a trophobiont) (Petry et al., 2012; Saddiqui et al., 2019).
This species is a host for the braconid wasp Neoneurus mantis (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).
This species is a host for the braconid wasp Neoneurus mantis (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).
This species is a prey for the Microdon fly Microdon cothurnatus (a predator) (Quevillon, 2018).

Flight Period

					X	X	X
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Source: antkeeping.info.

Check details at Worldwide Ant Nuptial Flights Data, AntNupTracker and AntKeeping.
Explore: Show all Flight Month data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

Life History Traits

Queen number: polygynous (Bennett, 1987; Frumhoff & Ward, 1992)

Castes

Worker


Worker. .	Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Queen


Queen. .	Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

podzolica. Formica podzolica Francoeur, 1973: 162, figs. 272-287 (w.q.m.) CANADA. Junior synonym of subsericea: Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1986g: 92. Revived from synonymy: Bolton, 1995b: 201.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Francoeur 1973. Figures 272-287.

References

Borowiec, M.L., Cover, S.P., Rabeling, C. 2021. The evolution of social parasitism in Formica ants revealed by a global phylogeny. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, e2026029118 (doi:10.1073/pnas.2026029118).
Boucher, P., Hébert, C., Francoeur, A., Sirois, L. 2015. Postfire succession of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) nesting in dead wood of Northern Boreal Forest. Environmental Entomology 44, 1316–1327 (doi:10.1093/ee/nvv109).
Chesnokova, S.V., Vaulin, O.V., Zhigulskaya, Z.A., Novgorodova, T.A. 2023. Formica gagatoides Ruzsky, 1904, and Siberian F. kozlovi Dlussky, 1965 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae); Two or One Species? Diversity 15(5), 686 (doi:10.3390/d15050686).
Csata, E., Dussutour, A. 2019. Nutrient regulation in ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): a review. Myrmecological News 29: 111-124 (doi:10.25849/MYRMECOL.NEWS_029:111).
de la Mora, A., Sankovitz, M., Purcell, J. 2020. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as host and intruder: recent advances and future directions in the study of exploitative strategies. Myrmecological News 30: 53-71 (doi:10.25849/MYRMECOL.NEWS_030:053).
D'Ettorre, P., Heinze, J. 2001. Sociobiology of slave-making ants. Acta ethologica 3, 67–82 (doi:10.1007/s102110100038).
Francoeur, A. 1973. Révision taxonomique des espèces néarctiques du groupe fusca, genre Formica (Formicidae, Hymenoptera). Mém. Soc. Entomol. Qué. 3: 1-316 (page 162, figs. 272-287 worker, queen, male described)
Gull-E-Fareen, A., Bodlah, I., Rasheed, M. T., Niaz, Y., Bodlah, M. A., Asif, M., Khokhar, N. M. (2020). Trophic associations of ants with aphid partners and new distribution records of some ants in Pothwar Region of Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 531 (doi:10.17582/journal.pjz/20190510120507).
Ivanov, K. 2019. The ants of Ohio (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): an updated checklist. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 70: 65–87 (doi:10.3897@jhr.70.35207).
Mackay, W. P. and E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, NY.
Ruano, F., Lenoir, A., Silvestre, M., Khalil, A., Tinaut, A. 2018. Chemical profiles in Iberoformica subrufa and Formica frontalis, a new example of temporary host–parasite interaction. Insectes Sociaux 66, 223–233 (doi:10.1007/S00040-018-00677-6).
Sankovitz, M.A., Breed, M.D., McCreery, H.F. 2019. Effects of Formica podzolica ant colonies on soil moisture, nitrogen, and plant communities near nests. Ecological Entomology 44, 71–80 (doi:10.1111/een.12677).
Savolainen, R., Deslippe, R.J. 1996. Slave addition increases sexual production of the facultative slave-making ant Formica subnuda. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 38: 145-148.
Savolainen, R., Vepsalainen. K., Deslippe, R.J. 1996. Reproductive strategy of the slave ant Formica podzolica relative to raiding efficiency of enslaver species. Insectes Sociaux 43: 201-210.
Siddiqui, J. A., Li, J., Zou, X., Bodlah, I., Huang, X. 2019. Meta-analysis of the global diversity and spatial patterns of aphid-ant mutualistic relationships. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research 17: 5471-5524 (doi:10.15666/aeer/1703_54715524).
West, M., Purcell, J. 2020. Task partitioning in ants lacking discrete morphological worker subcastes. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 74 (doi:10.1007/S00265-020-02845-W).
Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1986c. Supplementary studies of ant larvae: Ponerinae. Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 112: 85-94 (page 92, Junior synonym of subsericea)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Allred D. M. 1982. Ants of Utah. The Great Basin Naturalist 42: 415-511.
Allred, D.M. 1982. The ants of Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 42:415-511.
Boucher P., C. Hebert, A. Francoeur, and L. Sirois. 2015. Postfire succession of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) nesting in dead wood of northern boreal forest. Environ. Entomol. 44(5): 1316-1327: DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvv109
Deslippe, R.J. and R. Savolainen. 1995. Mechanisms of Competition in a Guild of Formicine Ants. Oikos 72(1):67-73
Ellison A. M., S. Record, A. Arguello, and N. J. Gotelli. 2007. Rapid Inventory of the Ant Assemblage in a Temperate Hardwood Forest: Species Composition and Assessment of Sampling Methods. Environ. Entomol. 36(4): 766-775.
Francoeur, A. 1997. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Yukon. Pages 901 910 in H.V. Danks and J.A. Downes (Eds.), Insects of the Yukon. Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods), Ottawa.
Francoeur. A. 1973. Revision taxonomique des especes nearctiques du group fusca, genre Formica. Memoires de la Societe Entomologique du Quebec 3: 1-316.
Glasier J. R. N., S. E. Nielsen, J. Acorn, and J. Pinzon. 2019. Boreal sand hills are areas of high diversity for Boreal ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Diversity 11, 22; doi:10.3390/d11020022.
Glasier J. R. N., S. Nielsen, J. H. Acorn, L. H. Borysenko, and T. Radtke. 2016. A checklist of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Saskatchewan. The Canadian Field-Naturalist 130(1): 40-48.
Higgins J. W., N. S. Cobb, S. Sommer, R. J. Delph, and S. L. Brantley. 2014. Ground-dwelling arthropod responses to succession in a pinyon-juniper woodland. Ecosphere 5(1):5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES13-00270.1
Higgins R. J., and B. S. Lindgren. 2010. Ants of British Columbia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). 1-6.
Ivanov, K. 2019. The ants of Ohio (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): an updated checklist. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 70: 65–87.
Lafleur B., W. F. J. Parsons, R. L. Bradley, and A. Francoeur. 2006. Ground-Nesting Ant Assemblages and Their Relationships to Habitat Factors Along a Chronosequence of Postfire-Regenerated Lichen-Spruce Woodland. Environmental Entomology. 35(6): 151-1524.
Lesica P., and P. B. Kannowski. 1998. Ants Create Hummocks and Alter Structure and Vegetation of a Montana Fen. Am. Midl. Nat. 139: 5868
Longino, J.T. 2010. Personal Communication. Longino Collection Database
MacKay W. P. 1993. Succession of ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on low-level nuclear waste sites in northern New Mexico. Sociobiology 23: 1-11.
Mackay, W. P., Lowrie, D., Fisher, A., Mackay, E. E., Barnes, F. 1988. The ants of Los Alamos County, New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pp. 79-131 in: Trager, J. C. (ed.) Advances in myrmecology. Leiden: E. J. Brill, xxvii + 551 pp.
Mackay W. P. and Mackay, E. E. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp.
Nielsen, M.G. 1987. The ant fauna (Hymenoptera:Formicidae) in northern and Interior Alaska. Entomological News 98(2):74-88
Savolainen, R. and R.J. Deslippe. 1996. Slave addition increases sexual production of the facultative slave-making ant Formica subnuda. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 38:145-148
Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
Wheeler G. C., J. N. Wheeler, and P. B. Kannowski. 1994. Checklist of the ants of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 26(4): 297-310
Wheeler, G.C., J. Wheeler and P.B. Kannowski. 1994. CHECKLIST OF THE ANTS OF MICHIGAN (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE). Great Lakes Entomologist 26:1:297-310