Formica candida

Formica candida nests in the soil under stones and near grass roots. Chromosome number 2n=52 (Imai, 1969) - different from other species of subgenus Serviformica, which have 2n=54 (Japanese Ant Image Database).

Identification
Within Japan this species is distinguished from other Formica species by the sparsity of pubescence on the dorsum of its first gastral tergite. Long white hairs are often seen on the ventral side of the head.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India. Palaearctic Region: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, China, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Foraging/Diet
Formica candida collect honeydew. Novgorodova (2015b) investigated ant-aphid interactions of a dozen honeydew collecting ant species in Western Siberia pine and aspen-birch-pine forests (54°7´N, 83°06´E, 200 m, Novosibirsk) and mixed-grass-cereal steppes with aspen-birch groves (53°44´N, 78°02´E, 110 m, near Karasuk) in the Novosibirsk Region and coniferous forests in the northeastern Altai (north end of Lake Teletskoe, 51°48´N, 87°17´E, 434 m). All of the ants studied had workers that showed high fidelity to attending particular aphid colonies, i.e, individual foragers that collect honeydew tend to return to the same location, and group of aphids, every time they leave the nest. F. candida showed some specialization beyond this in larger colonies (<1,000 workers). Some ants specialized on attending specific aphid colonies and primarily guarding the aphids from potential enemies. F. candida tended Symydobius oblongus (Heyden) and Aphis craccivora Koch.

Nomenclature

 *  candida. Formica candida Smith, F. 1878b: 11 (q.) KYRGYZSTAN. [Smith's description is repeated by Bingham, 1903: 335 (footnote).] Probable synonym of picea Nylander: Emery, 1925b: 249. Junior synonym of picea Nylander: Dlussky, 1967a: 61. Hence candida first available replacement name for Formica picea Nylander, 1846a: 917 [Junior primary homonym of Formica picea Leach, 1825: 292 (now in Camponotus).]: Bolton, 1995b: 192. Valid species, not synonymous with picea Nylander: Seifert, 2004: 35. Current subspecies: nominal plus formosae.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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