New England Ant Identification

Covering the six New England states, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

This list is based on the 2012 book A Field Guide to the Ants of New England.

Aphaenogaster
6 species

1


 * The first gastral tergite has long, distinct lines or grooves (striae) that radiate in a sunburst pattern from the postpetiole; head and mesosoma coaresly scultpured with dense, anastomosing ridges (rugae); the propodeal spines are very long – at least as long as the distance between their tips . . . . . Aphaenogaster mariae


 * First gastral tergite lacks striae; sculpturing on head and mesosoma fine; the propodeal spines normally are not longer than the distance between their tips, but if they are, the mesosoma and gaster are hairless . . . . . 2

2 (1)
 * The cheeks, as well as the dorsum of the mesosoma and gaster are hairless; the propodeal spines are very long – at least as long as the distance between their tips . . . . . Aphaenogaster tennesseensis


 * Cheeks, mesosoma, and gaster with many erect hairs; propodeal spines normally not longer than the distance between their tips . . . . . 3

3 (2)
 * Base of antennal scape with a wide, thick lobe extending about 1/4 of the length of the scape . . . . . Aphaenogaster treatae


 * Base of antennal scape without a lobe . . . . . 4

4 (3)
 * The last four segments of the antennae are the same color as the remaining segments; the propodeal spines are short – not more than ½ the length of the propodeal declivity (rear-sloping face) – and pointed upward; the top (peak) of the mesonotum not higher than the top of the pronotum . . . . . Aphaenogaster rudis - a species complex
 * The last four segments of the antenna are ligher in color or paler than the remaining segments; propodeal spines at least 2/3 the length of the propodeal declivity and pointed either upwards or towards the rear; top (peak) of the mesonotum as high or higher than the top of the pronotum . . . . . 5

5 (4)
 * Propodeal spines long – at least as long as the propodeal declivity – and pointing upwards; color reddish-brown . . . . . Aphaenogaster fulva


 * Propodeal spines shorter – approximately 2/3 the length of the propodeal declivity – and pointing towards the rear; color dark brown or blackish-brown . . . . . Aphaenogaster picea - a species complex

Brachymyrmex

 * Brachymyrmex depilis

Brachyponera

 * Brachyponera chinensis

Camponotus

 * Camponotus americanus
 * Camponotus caryae
 * Camponotus castaneus
 * Camponotus chromaiodes
 * Camponotus herculeanus
 * Camponotus nearcticus
 * Camponotus novaeboracensis
 * Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Crematogaster
2 species


 * No erect hairs on mesosoma except for 1-2 pairs of erect hairs on the corners of the pronotum . . . . . Crematogaster cerasi


 * Many (8-20) short hairs on the pronotum and scattered elsewhere on the mesosoma . . . . . Crematogaster lineolata

Dolichoderus

 * Dolichoderus mariae
 * Dolichoderus plagiatus
 * Dolichoderus pustulatus
 * Dolichoderus taschenbergi

These New England Dolichoderus are all the species of the genus that occur in North America: Key to North American Dolichoderus Species

Forelius

 * Forelius pruinosus

Formica

 * Formica adamsi
 * Formica argentea
 * Formica aserva
 * Formica cf. fossaceps'' - an undescribed species
 * Formica creightoni
 * Formica dakotensis - occurs in bordering areas and is likely to be found in New England
 * Formica difficilis
 * Formica dirksi - only known from type specimens
 * Formica dolosa
 * Formica exsectoides
 * Formica glacialis
 * Formica hewitti
 * Formica impexa
 * Formica incerta
 * Formica integra
 * Formica knighti
 * Formica lasioides
 * Formica morsei - only known from type specimens
 * Formica neogagates
 * Formica neorufibarbis
 * Formica nepticula
 * Formica obscuriventris
 * Formica pallidefulva
 * Formica pergandei
 * Formica podzolica
 * Formica querquetulana
 * Formica reflexa
 * Formica rubicunda
 * Formica subaenescens
 * Formica subintegra
 * Formica subsericea
 * Formica ulkei

Formicoxenus

 * Formicoxenus provancheri

Harpagoxenus

 * Harpagoxenus canadensis

Hypoponera

 * Hypoponera punctatissima - non-native species

Lasius

 * Lasius americanus
 * Lasius cf. niger - this may be an undescribed species
 * Lasius cf. umbratus'' - an undescribed species
 * Lasius claviger
 * Lasius flavus
 * Lasius interjectus
 * Lasius latipes
 * Lasius minutus
 * Lasius murphyi - occurs in bordering areas and is likely to be found in New England
 * Lasius nearcticus
 * Lasius neoniger
 * Lasius pallitarsis
 * Lasius plumopilosus - occurs in bordering areas and is likely to be found in New England
 * Lasius speculiventris
 * Lasius subglaber
 * Lasius subumbratus
 * Lasius umbratus

Leptothorax

 * Leptothorax retractus
 * Leptothorax sp. AF-can - an undescribed species
 * Leptothorax sp. AF-erg - an undescribed species
 * Leptothorax sphagnicola - occurs in bordering areas and is likely to be found in New England
 * Leptothorax wilsoni

Monomorium
4 species

1


 * Ant concolorous, dark green to black . . . . . 2


 * Ant bi-colored, or if concolorous, then yellow-to-light brown with a black-tipped gaster . . . . . 3

2
 * Length of the dorsal surface of the propodeum is shorter than the length of the sloping, posterior surface of the propodeum (the declivity); body black; widespread throughout New England . . . . . Monomorium emarginatum


 * Length of the dorsal surface of the propodeum is longer than the length of the declivity; body dark green to black; nests only in pure sandy soils . . . . . Monomorium viridum

3


 * Ant uniformly yellow-red or light brown, except for the gaster, which is at least dark brown or black at the tip, but may be entierely dark brown or black . . . . . Monomorium pharaonis


 * A bi-colored ant with a dark head and gaster and a light brown mesosoma . . . . . Monomorium floricola

Myrmecina

 * Myrmecina new species - an inquiline social parasite of Myrmecina americana
 * Myrmecina americana

Myrmica

 * Myrmica alaskensis
 * Myrmica americana
 * Myrmica brevispinosa
 * Myrmica detritinodis
 * Myrmica fracticornis
 * Myrmica incompleta
 * Myrmica lampra - occurs in bordering areas and is likely to be found in New England
 * Myrmica latifrons
 * Myrmica lobifrons
 * Myrmica nearctica
 * Myrmica pinetorum
 * Myrmica punctiventris
 * Myrmica quebecensis - occurs in bordering areas and is likely to be found in New England
 * Myrmica rubra - non-native species
 * Myrmica scabrinodis - non-native species
 * Myrmica semiparasitica
 * Myrmica sp. AF-eva - an undescribed species
 * Myrmica sp. AF-ine - an undescribed species
 * Myrmica sp. AF-scu - an undescribed species
 * Myrmica sp. AF-smi - an undescribed species
 * Myrmica sp. AF-sub - an undescribed species

Nylanderia

 * Nylanderia deceptrix - a social parasite of Nylanderia parvula
 * Nylanderia flavipes - non-native species
 * Nylanderia parvula

Paratrechina

 * Paratrechina longicornis - non-native species

Pheidole

 * Pheidole flavens non-native species
 * Pheidole pilifera

Polyergus

 * Polyergus cf. longicornis - an undescribed species
 * Polyergus lucidus
 * Polyergus montivagus - occurs in bordering areas and is likely to be found in New England

Ponera

 * Ponera pennsylvanica

Prenolepis

 * Prenolepis imparis

Proceratium

 * Proceratium crassicorne
 * Proceratium pergandei
 * Proceratium silaceum

Solenopsis
2 species


 * In dorsal view, the post-petiole is noticeably wider than the petiole; in profile view, the summit of the petiole is relatively narrow; the ant is yellow-brown and nests in a wide variety of soils, but never in pure sand . . . . . Solenopsis molesta
 * In dorsal view, the post-petiole is approximately as wide as the petiole; in profile view, the summit of the petiole is relatively broad; a lemon-yellow ant that nests only in pure sand . . . . . Solenopsis cf. texana

Stenamma

 * Stenamma brevicorne
 * Stenamma diecki
 * Stenamma impar
 * Stenamma schmittii

Stigmatomma

 * Stigmatomma pallipes

Strumigenys

 * Strumigenys metazytes
 * Strumigenys pergandei
 * Strumigenys pulchella

Tapinoma
3 species

1


 * Workers tiny, < 1.5 mm long; head and mesosoma brown, gaster and legs milky white; a tropical species that is a rare inhabitant of greenhouses and other heated structures in New England . . . . . Tapinoma melanocephalum


 * Workers larger, 2.5 – 3.5 mm long; ants uniformly brown . . . . . 2

2 


 * Queens generally large, at least 5.5 mm; queens and males produced and fly in mid-summer (late July to early August) . . . . . Tapinoma sessile


 * Queens much smaller, 2.0 – 2.5 mm long; queens and males produced and fly in late summer (mid-August to late September); a rare inquiline social parasite of T. sessile. Note: workers are not produed by this species – if workers are observed in the colony, they are the workers of the host, T. sessile . . . . . *Tapinoma new species

Temnothorax

 * Temnothorax ambiguus
 * Temnothorax americanus - as Protomognathus americanus
 * Temnothorax curvispinosus
 * Temnothorax longispinosus
 * Temnothorax schaumii
 * Temnothorax texanus

Tetramorium

 * Tetramorium atratulum - non-native species
 * Tetramorium immigrans - non-native species

Tetramorium immigrans, the sidewalk ant, is a common ant in urban and suburban areas. Tetramorium atratulum is a workerless inquiline that parasites T. immigrans. The parasite has only been collected a handful of times in North America.