Formica lepida

This species nests under stones.

Identification
Workers may be recognized by the lack of a process on the metasternum, being concolorous yellow to blackish-brown, by lacking elongate punctures on the genae, and in having erect hairs present on the ventral surface of the head, posterior border, promesonotum, propodeum and dorsal margin of the petiole. The four faces of the femora have erect hairs, and the petiole is thick as seen in profile, with a rounded apex. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

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

Nomenclature

 *  lepida. Formica cinerea var. lepida Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 399 (diagnosis in key) (w.) U.S.A. [Formica cinerea subsp. cinerea var. lepida Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 526; unavailable name.] Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 551 (q.). Subspecies of cinerea: Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 551; Creighton, 1950a: 531. Raised to species: Francoeur, 1973: 122.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Beck D. E., D. M. Allred, W. J. Despain. 1967. Predaceous-scavenger ants in Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 27: 67-78
 * Borchert, H.F. and N.L. Anderson. 1973. The Ants of the Bearpaw Mountains of Montana (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 46(2):200-224
 * Cole A. C., Jr. 1954. Studies of New Mexico ants. XI. The genus Formica with a description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 29: 163-167.
 * Francoeur A., and R. R. Snelling. 1979. Notes for a revision of the ant genus Formica. 2. Reidentifications for some specimens from the T. W. Cook collection and new distribution data (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 309: 1-7.
 * Francoeur. A. 1973. Revision taxonomique des especes nearctiques du group fusca, genre Formica. Memoires de la Societe Entomologique du Quebec 3: 1-316.
 * Gregg R. E. 1969. Geographic distribution of the ant genus Formica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 71: 38-49.
 * Gregg, R.T. 1963. The Ants of Colorado.
 * La Rivers I. 1968. A first listing of the ants of Nevada. Biological Society of Nevada, Occasional Papers 17: 1-12.
 * Lavigne R., and T. J. Tepedino. 1976. Checklist of the insects in Wyoming. I. Hymenoptera. Agric. Exp. Sta., Univ. Wyoming Res. J. 106: 24-26.
 * Mackay W. P., and E. E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp.
 * Mallis A. 1941. A list of the ants of California with notes on their habits and distribution. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 40: 61-100.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1913. A revision of the ants of the genus Formica (Linné) Mayr. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 53: 379-565.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1917. The mountain ants of western North America. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 52: 457-569.
 * Yensen, N.P., W.H. Clark and A. Francoeur. 1977. A checklist of Idaho Ants. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 53:181-187