False Honey Ant
Prenolepis imparis (Say, 1836)
False Honey Ant: https://marylandbiodiversity.com/species/9459
Synonyms
American Winter Ant  Winter Ant 
Tags

Map Snapshot

135 Records

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Status

Only member of its genus currently recognized in our area. Found throughout much of North America, this species winters in underground nests and specializes in foraging in cold temperatures (BugGuide, 2014). Found in various forested habitats encompassing both dry upland forests and mesic lowland forests including both dense and open woodlands and woodlots; less frequently recorded from open area habitats including field edges and grasslands (See Frye et al., 2014).

Description

"Viewing Prenolepis from above should immediately reveal the distinctive hourglass-shaped mesosoma, a distinguishing feature of the genus, and the anteriorly broad then tapering gaster" (BugGuide, 2014).

Relationships

Is the main pollinator for Beechdrops.

Seasonality Snapshot

Resources

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Source: Wikipedia

Prenolepis imparis
Prenolepis imparis worker
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Genus: Prenolepis
Species:
P. imparis
Binomial name
Prenolepis imparis
(Thomas Say, 1836)
Prenolepis imparis, male

Prenolepis imparis, commonly known as the winter ant, false honey ant, or false honeypot ant, is a species of ant in the genus Prenolepis.[1] The species is found in North America, from Canada to Mexico, nesting deep within the ground. Unusual among ants, Prenolepis imparis prefers lower temperatures, including near freezing, and is only active outside the nest during winter and early spring.[2] Prenolepis imparis enters a hibernation-like state called aestivation during the summer.

P. imparis secretes an opaque white liquid from its abdomen as a defense against other ants, including Linepithema humile.[3] The defensive secretions appear to be derived anatomically from the Dufour's gland and has been shown to contain a mixture of alkanes and alkenes including hexadecene, octadecene, tetradecene, octylcyclohexane, and hexadecane.[4] Secretions from P. imparis have experimentally been shown to often kill L. humile workers.[4]

Subspecies

[edit]
  • Prenolepis imparis arizonica Wheeler., 1930
  • Prenolepis imparis colimana Wheeler, 1930
  • Prenolepis imparis coloradensis Wheeler, 1930
  • Prenolepis imparis veracruzensis Wheeler, 1930

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Bolton, B. (2015). "Prenolepis imparis". AntCat. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  2. ^ Tschinkel, W. R. (1987). "Seasonal life history and nest architecture of a winter-active ant, Prenolepis imparis". Insectes Sociaux. 34 (3): 143–164. doi:10.1007/bf02224081. S2CID 40411326.
  3. ^ Sorrells, Trevor R.; Kuritzky, Leah Y.; Kauhanen, Peter G.; Fitzgerald, Katherine; Sturgis, Shelby J.; Chen, Jimmy; Dijamco, Cheri A.; Basurto, Kimberly N.; Gordon, Deborah M. (2011). "Chemical Defense by the Native Winter Ant (Prenolepis imparis) against the Invasive Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile)". PLOS ONE. 6 (4): e18717. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...618717S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0018717. PMC 3079705. PMID 21526231.
  4. ^ a b Sorrells, Trevor R.; Kuritzky, Leah Y.; Kauhanen, Peter G.; Fitzgerald, Katherine; Sturgis, Shelby J.; Chen, Jimmy; Dijamco, Cheri A.; Basurto, Kimberly N.; Gordon, Deborah M. (2011-04-19). "Chemical Defense by the Native Winter Ant (Prenolepis imparis) against the Invasive Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile)". PLOS ONE. 6 (4): e18717. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...618717S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0018717. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3079705. PMID 21526231.
[edit]
  • Media related to Prenolepis imparis at Wikimedia Commons
  • AntWiki has information on the identification, distribution, and biology of Prenolepis imparis.

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