Formica yessensis

This species builds discrete nests at relatively well insolated places. The mounds are up to 1 m in diameter, and constructed from dead grass or conifer needles. A huge supercolony consisting of 45,000 nests, which extend by budding, is present along the coast of Ishikari Bay, Hokkaido (Higashi & Yamauchi, 1979). Queens are not particularly large when compared to workers, implying that F. yessensis is possibly a temporary social parasite, like Formica fukaii. Reproductive alates fly in August (Ito & Imamura, 1974). Various studies have been carried out on the ecology of this species (Higashi, 1974, 1978a, 1978b; Imamura, 1974, 1978, 1982). The southernmost known locality in Honshu is Mt. Kintoki, Kanagawa Prefecture (Kondoh, 1961). (Japanese Ant Image Database)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation.

Biology
(species of host unknown).

Nomenclature

 *  yessensis. Formica truncicola var. yessensis Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 391 (in key) (w.) JAPAN. [First available use of Formica rufa r. truncicola var. yessensis Forel, 1901h: 66; unavailable name.] Kupyanskaya, 1984: 103 (q.m.); Imai, 1966: 119 (k.). Subspecies of truncicola: Ruzsky, 1926: 110; of truncorum: Wheeler, W.M. 1933c: 66. Junior synonym of lugubris: Dlussky, 1967a: 91. Revived from synonymy and raised to species: Collingwood, 1976: 304. See also: Kupyanskaya, 1990: 194.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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