Formica gagates

Guiliani et al. (2019) observed this species foraging on extrafloral nectaries of the invasive Reynoutria x bohemica (Polygonaceae) in Tuscany. The habitats examined were river banks and disturbed habitats.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India. Palaearctic Region: Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iberian Peninsula, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine.

Nomenclature

 *  gagates. Formica gagates Latreille, 1798: 36 (w.q.) FRANCE. Mayr, 1855: 349 (m.). Combination in F. (Serviformica): Forel, 1915d: 63. Subspecies of fusca: Forel, 1874: 53; Emery & Forel, 1879: 451; Mayr, 1886d: 426; Forel, 1892i: 307; Forel, 1907b: 208; Bondroit, 1910: 483. Status as species: André, 1882b: 182; Nasonov, 1889: 19; Ruzsky, 1902d: 13; Forel, 1904b: 384; Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 513; Forel, 1915d: 63; Emery, 1916b: 254; Bondroit, 1918: 46; Karavaiev, 1927c: 285; Karavaiev, 1936: 229; Stitz, 1939: 362; Bernard, 1967: 298; Dlussky, 1967a: 79; Kutter, 1977c: 250; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 269. Senior synonym of capsincola: Mayr, 1855: 348; Nylander, 1856b: 65; of morio: Emery, 1925b: 248; Karavaiev, 1936: 230; Dlussky & Pisarski, 1971: 169; of fuscogagates: Kutter, 1977c: 254. Material of the unavailable name muralewiczi referred here by Emery, 1909b: 194; Karavaiev, 1927a: 301. Current subspecies: nominal plus piceogagates.
 * morio. Formica morio Latreille, 1798: 36 (w.) FRANCE. Junior synonym of gagates: Emery, 1925b: 248; Dlussky & Pisarski, 1971: 169.
 * capsincola. Formica capsincola Schilling, 1839: 54 (w.q.) POLAND. Junior synonym of gagates: Mayr, 1855: 248; Nylander, 1856b: 65.
 * fuscogagates. Formica fusca var. fuscogagates Forel, 1874: 54 (w.q.) SWITZERLAND. Combination in F. (Serviformica): Forel, 1915d: 63. Raised to species: Bondroit, 1918: 47. Subspecies of gagates: Emery, 1909b: 195; Emery, 1925b: 249. Junior synonym of gagates: Kutter, 1977c: 254.