Formica bradleyi

This widely distributed species is a sand specialist, being found almost exclusively in deep sand deposits.

Identification
The only member of the neogagates group that is concolorous yellowish red. The entire ant, including the appendages, is covered with bristly, white hairs, except for the scape, which is without erect hairs. The surfaces are shiny and the anterior border of the clypeus is concave, nearly notched. The male is unusual as it has a shiny head and mesosoma.

Distribution
Canada: Alberta, Manitoba. United States: Minnesota, Iowa, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: Canada, United States.

Habitat
Found only in very sandy soils at base of grass clumps (DuBois and Danoff-Burg, 1994).

Nomenclature

 *  bradleyi. Formica bradleyi Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 423 (w.m.) U.S.A. Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 535 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1953c: 168 (l.). Combination in F. (Raptiformica): Emery, 1925b: 259. Senior synonym of morbida: Wilson & Brown, 1955: 126. See also: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1449.
 * morbida. Formica (Proformica) neogagates var. morbida Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 400 (in key) (w.q.) U.S.A. [Formica (Proformica) neogagates subsp. neogagates var. morbida Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 538; unavailable name.] Subspecies of neogagates: Buren, 1944a: 309. Junior synonym of neogagates: Creighton, 1950a: 459; of bradleyi: Wilson & Brown, 1955: 126.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bestelmeyer B. T., and J. A. Wiens. 2001. Local and regional-scale responses of ant diversity to a semiarid biome transition. Ecography 24: 381-392.
 * Cokendolpher J. C., and O. F. Francke. 1990. The ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of western Texas. Part II. Subfamilies Ecitoninae, Ponerinae, Pseudomyrmecinae, Dolichoderinae, and Formicinae. Special Publications, the Museum. Texas Tech University 30:1-76.
 * Gregg, R.T. 1963. The Ants of Colorado.
 * Kannowski P. B. 1956. The ants of Ramsey County, North Dakota. American Midland Naturalist 56(1): 168-185.
 * Lavigne R., and T. J. Tepedino. 1976. Checklist of the insects in Wyoming. I. Hymenoptera. Agric. Exp. Sta., Univ. Wyoming Res. J. 106: 24-26.
 * O'Keefe S. T., J. L. Cook, T. Dudek, D. F. Wunneburger, M. D. Guzman, R. N. Coulson, and S. B. Vinson. 2000. The Distribution of Texas Ants. The Southwestern Entomologist 22: 1-92.
 * Wheeler G. C., and E. W. Wheeler. 1944. Ants of North Dakota. North Dakota Historical Quarterly 11:231-271.
 * Wheeler G. C., and J. Wheeler. 1987. A Checklist of the Ants of South Dakota. Prairie Nat. 19(3): 199-208.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1917. The mountain ants of western North America. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 52: 457-569.
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1988. A checklist of the ants of Montana. Psyche 95:101-114
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1988. A checklist of the ants of Wyoming. Insecta Mundi 2(3&4):230-239
 * Wheeler, G.C., J. Wheeler, T.D. Galloway and G.L. Ayre. 1989. A list of the ants of Manitoba. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Manitoba 45:34-49
 * Wilson E. O., and W. L. Brown, Jr. 1955. Revisionary notes on the sanguinea and neogagates groups of the ant genus Formica. Psyche (Cambridge) 62: 108-129.