Formica neogagates

This species nests in the soil, often under stones or logs. Colonies are small and these ants are timid.

Identification
Formica neogagates usually has abundant erect hairs on the pronotum, as well as the remainder of the body. The antennae are without erect hairs (except at the apex). The surfaces are shiny, but more sculptured than most members of the neogagates species group. It can be separated from most of the other members by having more than 10 erect hairs on the pronotum (usually more than 20), and having rougher sculpture. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Distribution
Coast to coast in southern Canada and the northern states, with an extension in the Appalachians to North Carolina; in the west spreading northward to southern Alaska and southward to Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and into northern Mexico.

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



Habitat
In New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Grasslands and highly disturbed urban environments through pinyon-juniper forests up to aspen forests. It is occasionally found in semiarid habitats.

Biology
For New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Formica densiventris, Formica wheeleri and Formica pergandei enslave it. It nests together with Lasius alienus and Myrmica lobifrons. Reproductives were found in a nest in June, dealate females were found in June and July. Nests have multiple, dealate females.

Nevada, Wheeler and Wheeler (1986) - The species has been reported widely distributed throughout the state except for the northeastern corner. We have 74 records from 59 localities; 3,900-10,000 ft., but mostly between 4,000 ft. and 8,000 ft. Twenty-nine of the localities were in the Cool Desert (8 in Sarcobatus Subclimax, 2 in cottonwood groves, 2 riparian, 1 in moist soil encrusted with salt, 1 in turf at the edge of a marsh, and 1 in a disturbed area), 10 were in the Pinyon-Juniper Biome, 2 in Coniferous Forest Biome, and 5 in the Alpine Biome. Of the nests described 11 were under stones; of the exposed nests 7 were surmounted by a crater 3-12 cm in diameter; 12 had irregular piles of excavated soil. Entrances were small (2-3 mm). We have usually found F. neogagates fast and timid, but populous colonies sometimes produce aggressive workers that bite promptly. Workers from a colony 2 mi. N McGill (White Pine Co., 6,000 ft.) were tending mealybugs, Chorizococcus sp. (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae; det. D.R. Miller), at the base of winter fat (Ceratoides lanata). Workers from a colony 5 mi. NE Gerlach (pershing Co.) 3,800 ft. were tending coccids, Orthezia sarcobati Morrison (Homoptera: Ortheziidae; det. D.R. Miller), on Sarcobatus vermiculatus.

Fungi
This species is a host for the ectoparastic fungus Laboulbenia formicarum (Espadaler & Santamaria, 2012).

Nomenclature

 *  neogagates. Formica fusca var. neogagates Viereck, 1903: 74 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. [First available use of Formica fusca subsp. subpolita var. neogagates Emery, 1893i: 661; unavailable name.] Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1953c: 158 (l.). Combination in F. (Proformica): Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 536. Subspecies of subpolita: Wheeler, W.M. 1908f: 625. Raised to species: Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 536.