Formica canadensis

Nests are found in the soil, usually with the nest entrance surrounded by mound of soil.

Identification
Short, bristly hairs covering most of the surfaces of the body. The sides of the head and cheeks usually have several erect hairs. The scape is without erect hairs (except at the apex) and the legs have few erect hairs. The tibiae have erect hairs only on the flexor surface. The metasternal process is well developed and covered with hairs. This species is shiner than most of the other members of the fusca group, and is usually medium brown with a black gaster. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Distribution
Western North America.

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

Habitat
For New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002), forested areas (ponderosa pine, Gamble oak) and surrounding open prairies, as well as areas of clover and milkweed.

Nomenclature

 *  canadensis. Formica cinerea var. canadensis Santschi, 1914a: 435 (w.q.) CANADA. Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 550 (q.); Francoeur, 1973: 63 (m.). Combination in F. (Serviformica): Emery, 1925b: 246. Junior synonym of lepida: Smith, M.R. 1961a: 252. Revived from synonymy and raised to species: Francoeur, 1973: 60.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Allred D. M. 1982. Ants of Utah. The Great Basin Naturalist 42: 415-511.
 * Allred, D.M. 1982. The ants of Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 42:415-511.
 * Cole, A.C. 1936. An annotated list of the ants of Idaho (Hymenoptera; Formicidae). Canadian Entomologist 68(2):34-39
 * Francoeur. A. 1973. Revision taxonomique des especes nearctiques du group fusca, genre Formica. Memoires de la Societe Entomologique du Quebec 3: 1-316.
 * Glasier J. R. N., S. Nielsen, J. H. Acorn, L. H. Borysenko, and T. Radtke. 2016. A checklist of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Saskatchewan. The Canadian Field-Naturalist 130(1): 40-48.
 * Johnson R. Personnal Database. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/resources.htm
 * Knowlton G. F. 1970. Ants of Curlew Valley. Proceedings of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters 47(1): 208-212.
 * Mackay W. P., and E. E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp.
 * Wali M. K., and P. B. Kannowski. 1975. Prairie ant mound ecology: interrelationships of microclimate, soils and vegetation. In: Prairie: a multiple view, ed. M. K. Wali, pp 155-169. Grand Forks: University of North Dakota Press.
 * Ward P. S. 2005. A synoptic review of the ants of California (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 936: 1-68.