Strumigenys margaritae Forel, 1893

Booher, Douglas B., 2021, The ant genus Strumigenys Smith, 1860 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in western North America North of Mexico, Zootaxa 5061 (2), pp. 201-248 : 233

Strumigenys margaritae Forel, 1893

Distribution. USA to Suriname and most Caribbean Islands; in eastern USA from Florida to Virginia, west to Missouri; in western USA occurs in Oklahoma and Texas.

Comments. Strumigenys margaritae is an infrequently collected non-native (Neotropical) ant that has established along a wide southern USA swath ( Ivanov et al. 2019; Bolton 2000). This species is collected over a wide range of habitats but is often found in more arid sites such as prairie remnants, scrub, and grassy areas –predicting further spread throughout other more western states with similar habitats ( Mississippi Entomological Museum 2020). Strumigenys margaritae has often been collected using sweep nets off low vegetation ( Mississippi Entomological Museum 2020). Although observed to forage above ground, it appears S. margaritae nests in the ground from limited observations. According to the few USA collections from flight traps (n=4 from Louisiana and Mississippi) mating flights occur between July and August. I found a nest in an open pasture-edged woodland near Athens, Georgia, in mid-September, and males and alate queens were still present. In addition, S. subnuda ( MacGown & Hill, 2010) is a rarely collected social parasite thought to be associated with S. margaritae . Although not collected in Texas, it occurs in Louisiana and there is no reason to think it might not also co-occur with S. margaritae elsewhere.