ANT DIVERSITY

The ant subfamilies:

Nothomyrmeciinae

Myrmeciinae

Ponerinae

Myrmicinae

Formicinae

Dolichoderinae

Ecitonae

Dorylinae

The most commonly seen Rocky Mountain ants are carpenter ants (genus Camponotus) and wood ants (genus Formica). These ants defend themselves with formic acid secretions and cannot sting. They have one node on the constriction (petiole) between the thorax and abdomen (see the page on ant farms for a drawing of this characteristic).

Myrmicine ants, which include the harvester ants, have two nodes on petiole and are enthusiastic stingers. In the moutains, myrmicine nests tend to be small and hidden under rocks or logs.