Formica oreas

This ant nests under stones or logs, usually covered with detritus or thatching, in areas of fine sand to rocky loam. Occasionally this species constructs mounds solely of thatching. Brood was found in nests in March and August, reproductives occurred in nests June to August. Workers are very aggressive when the nest is disturbed.

Identification
The scape is more or less evenly covered with erect hairs, whereas other species have erect hairs only at the tip, with possibly a few others scattered on the scape. It can be separated from others with many erect hairs on the scapes as it has short dense hairs covering the gaster and the gaster is brownish black instead of black. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Distribution
Canada, Alberta. United States: Montana, Idaho and south to New Mexico.

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

Habitat
In New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Open woods or meadows up to pine and aspen forests.

Nomenclature

 *  oreas. Formica oreas Wheeler, W.M. 1903e: 643, fig. 2 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. Current subspecies: nominal plus comptula. See also: Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 458.