Animal Sciences Commons^™

The Natural History Of The Workerless Ant Parasite, Formica Talbotae, Mary Talbot

Faculty Scholarship

The ant Formica talhotae Wilson is a workerless social parasite of the microgrna group, which forms mixed colonies with the host ant Formica ohscuripes Fore!. Queens produce males and females only and there is also no worker brood of F. obscuripes in the parasitized colonies. The small alates have a long flight period stretching from mid-June to late September, with flights taking place on every suitable morning when the temperature is above 71° and rising, when the sun is shining, and when there is no appreciable wind. Flights are best between 78° and 83° F. Once up on plants, alates …