Formica spatulata

Identification
The workers of the species are easily recognized, as the hairs on pronotum (as well ason the other bodily surfaces) are spatulate. The scape is without erect hairs, the tibiae are without erect hairs, except for a row bristles along the flexor surface. The dorsum of the head has abundant erect hairs, as well as remainder of the mesosoma, the dorsum and sides of the petiole, and the dorsum of the gaster.

The queens are only slightly smaller than the largest workers. The dorsum of the head has abundant erect in suberect hairs, as does ventral surface. The hairs on the mesosoma are mostly spatulate, hairs are present on the propodeum, the dorsum and sides of the petiole, and scattered across the gaster.

The spatulate hairs on the worker and female, will generally separate to species from all others. The presence of erect hairs on the propodeum, will separated from most of the other closely related species. It can be separated from Formica densiventris by the definitely spatulate hairs on the pronotum, which are only blunt-tipped in F. densiventris.

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

Biology
This species is likely to be a temporary parasite of another species of Formica, but its host is.

Nomenclature

 *  spatulata. Formica microgyna subsp. spatulata Buren, 1944a: 305 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. Raised to species: Creighton, 1950a: 508.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * 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
 * Buren W. F. 1944. A list of Iowa ants. Iowa State College Journal of Science 18:277-312
 * 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.
 * King R. L. and R. M. Sallee. 1964. Notes on Iowa ants. Iowa Academy of Science. 71: 484-485
 * Wheeler G. C., and J. Wheeler. 1987. A Checklist of the Ants of South Dakota. Prairie Nat. 19(3): 199-208.
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1988. A checklist of the ants of Montana. Psyche 95:101-114
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1988. A checklist of the ants of Wyoming. Insecta Mundi 2(3&4):230-239
 * Wheeler, G.C., J. Wheeler, T.D. Galloway and G.L. Ayre. 1989. A list of the ants of Manitoba. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Manitoba 45:34-49