False Honey Ant Prenolepis imparis (Say, 1836)    Synonyms: Winter Ant.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Hymenoptera   >   Family Formicidae   >   Genus Prenolepis   

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.

There are 61 records in the project database.

View images at BugGuide

View taxon at iNaturalist

View taxon at NatureServe

Search Google Images

Search MBP Facebook posts (beta | requires login)


[View seasonality details]
GAALWA FR CLMO HO BA BC HA CEPG AA CV CH SM KE QA CNTA DOWISOWO 
False Honey Ants in Pasadena, Maryland (4/10/2014). Determined by Ben Coulter. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants in Washington Co., Maryland (9/28/2019). Determined by Bob Zupark/BugGuide. Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/11/2019). Verified by Steven Wang/BugGuide. Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant in Montgomery Co., Maryland (1/21/2018). Verified by James Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Steve Scholnick. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants mating in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/15/2019). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Steve Scholnick. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/16/2014). Determined by James Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants in Baltimore Co., Maryland (1/18/2021). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Dave Webb. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/21/2020). Confirmed by James Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant in Howard Co., Maryland (2/21/2018). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

False Honey Ant mating in Prince George's Co., Maryland (3/9/2016). Verified by James Trager. Photo by Barbara Thurlow. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant found on an Osage Orange fruit in Howard Co., Maryland (10/25/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

False Honey Ant in Howard Co., Maryland (10/6/2017). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant found during the Chino Farms BioBlitz (4/27/2013). Photo by Ashley Bradford. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants in Harford Co., Maryland (4/25/2016). Verified by James C. Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Shannon Schade. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant in Howard Co., Maryland (10/6/2017). Determined by Steven Wang/BugGuide. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

A male False Honey Ant in Talbot Co., Maryland. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

A male False Honey Ant in Talbot Co., Maryland. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

A male False Honey Ant in Talbot Co., Maryland. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants in Baltimore City, Maryland (8/27/2015). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants in Baltimore City, Maryland (9/14/2008). Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/4/2015). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant in Baltimore Co., Maryland (2/15/2018). Verified by James C. Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Emily Stanley. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant collected in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/20/2018). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant in Prince George's Co., Maryland (11/23/2014). Determined by James Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Jesse Christopherson. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/2/2015). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants in Washington Co., Maryland (9/1/2017). Determined by James C. Trager. Photo by Kerry Wixted. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant documented by students at Jemicy School in Baltimore Co., Maryland (2/23/2017). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide. First MBP record for Baltimore Co. Photo by Emily Stanley. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants in Harford Co., Maryland (8/23/2014). Photo by Bill Keim. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant in Harford Co., Maryland (3/22/2014). Determined by Steven Wang and James C. Trager via BugGuide. Photo by Bill Keim. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants in a Yucca bloom in Harford Co., Maryland (6/19/2018). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A False Honey Ant with prey in Montgomery Co., Maryland (11/29/2014). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide. Photo by Jesse Christopherson. (MBP list)

False Honey Ant in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/23/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

False Honey Ants on White-footed Mouse in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (2/25/2017). Verified by Ben Coulter. Photo by Jane Kostenko. (MBP list)


View All Images

Use of images featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

View Bibliography