Stigmatomma pallipes

Stigmatomma pallipes
In Montreal, Canada
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Genus:	Stigmatomma
Species:	S. pallipes
Binomial name
Stigmatomma pallipes (Haldeman, 1844)
Synonyms
Amblyopone pallipes Haldeman, 1844

Stigmatomma pallipes, or vampire ant, is a species of ant in the subfamily Amblyoponinae. It is one of three species of Stigmatomma native to North America.[1] They can be hard to find due to their habitat and small colony size.

Description

A reddish-brown ant, generally 4.5–6 mm (0.18–0.24 in).[2]

Habitat

Individuals are typically found in wooded areas, in damp soil and leaf litter. Nests are usually found in soil under rocks, rotting logs, or at the base of trees. Colonies are small, typically consisting of anywhere between two and sixty individuals, although the latter is uncommon.[3]

Range

The vampire ant is found across most southern and eastern states, west to California and north to Quebec and Ontario.[4]

References

1. "Genus Stigmatomma". bugguide.net. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
2. Creighton, WM S. (1940-07-17). "A Revision of The Forms of Stigmatomma Pallipes". American Museum Novitates (1079). American Museum of Natural History.
3. Haskins, Caryl Parker (1928). "Notes on the Behavior and Habits of Stigmatomma pallipes Haldeman". Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 36 (2): 179–184. ISSN 0028-7199. JSTOR 25004253.
4. "antmaps.org". antmaps.org. Retrieved 2021-04-20.