Formica dolosa Buren, 1944

Taxon ID: 9413

Summary

Formica dolosa is a species in the genus Formica.

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Records

MBP has nine records spanning seven counties.

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Media

5 displayed media

<em>Formica dolosa</em> specimen. Contributed by <a href='https://www.antweb.org/bigPicture.do?name=casent0179861&shot=p&number=1'>Erin Prado</a>.

Formica dolosa Buren, 1944 Media by AntWeb Data View Record

<em>Formica dolosa</em> ants defending their patch of Porcelain Berry from a <em>Naupactus</em> weevil in Montgomery Co., Maryland (8/26/2016). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide.

Formica dolosa Buren, 1944 Media by Steve Scholnick View Record

A <em>Formica dolosa</em> in Washington Co., Maryland (8/19/2018). Determined by James C. Trager/BugGuide.

Formica dolosa Buren, 1944 Media by Jim Moore View Record

A <em>Formica dolosa</em> in Howard Co., Maryland (4/26/2014).

Formica dolosa Buren, 1944 Media by Tim Foard

<em>Formica dolosa</em> in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/1/2025). (c) Peter Edelman, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>).

Formica dolosa Buren, 1944 Media by peroed via iNaturalist View Record

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Details

Status

On average, the largest member of the Formica pallidefulva species group, Formica dolosa is a wary, fast-running orange ant found in dry, infertile habitats, like pine barrens, dry grasslands and prairies, ridgetops, and other similar habitats with acidic, poor soils. In wetter habitats, it is often replaced by other members of the pallidefulva species group (Trager, 2007).

Relationships

This species may occasionally be a host of Formica pergandei (Trager, 2007). In New England and the upper Midwest, and also in the Southeast, it is the host species of two newly-described, allopatric Polyergus species. Any Polyergus found with dolosa in Maryland should be intensely scrutinized, as they would constitute a range extension for one of the two species.