Pheidole bilimeki Mayr, 1870

Ivanov, Kaloyan, 2016, Exotic ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Ohio, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 51, pp. 203-226 : 213-214

Pheidole bilimeki Mayr, 1870

Distribution in Ohio.

Single record from south-central Ohio. Counties: Franklin ( Coovert 2005), (Fig. 3 ).

Where found/Habitat.

Indoors. The single Ohio record was discovered in a greenhouse in Franklin Co.

Origin.

Neotropics.

Natural history.

This is a synanthropic species with pronounced tolerance to disturbed habitats.

Longino and Cox (2009) and Sarnat et al. (2015) provide the most relevant and up to date treatment of this species and its close relatives. This species can be easily confused with members of the Pheidole punctatissima clade ( Pheidole anastasii Emery, 1896; Pheidole punctatissima Mayr, 1870) as well as with members of the Pheidole flavens complex ( Economo et al. 2015; Sarnat et al. 2015). In the southeastern United States, where outdoor colonies of this species can be found, it has often been misidentified as Pheidole floridana Emery, 1895. According to Sarnat et al. (2015), the latter often results from the misapplication of the name Pheidole floridana to collections of North American Pheidole bilimeki . Identification of this species is difficult but the following characteristics may be useful in separating it from other closely related species: antennal scapes relatively short, head margin somewhat flattened posteriorly, anterior half of first gastral tergite foveolate and opaque, body color brown and only occasionally yellow-brown. In addition, it can be separated from the closely related Pheidole anastasii by its preference for open, disturbed habitats (see Longino and Cox 2009; Sarnat et al. 2015 for additional information).

According to Longino and Cox (2009), this is an abundant species of open areas regularly found in recently, or frequently, disturbed habitats in its native range. Although it is often associated with anthropogenically altered areas and can be common along roadsides, it is also an abundant house pest. This ant is highly adaptable in its nest site preferences with nests located in dead rotten wood (including fence posts) and under stones. In Costa Rica Longino and Cox (2009) have observed this species in a variety of forested lowland and montane habitats. According to Wilson (2003; as Pheidole floridana ) this species nests in soil, leaf-litter, and rotten wood in both xeric and mesic woodland habitats with colonies being monogynous and sometimes polydomous. In his account of the biology of Pheidole bilimeki (as Pheidole anastasii ) in Florida Naves (1985) reports that this ant most often nests under the bark at the base, or along the roots, of pines, and only rarely in the soil. The observed colonies were monogynous and contained 600 workers. Naves (1985) also reports that Pheidole bilimeki feeds on seeds, fruits, dead insects, and also preys on small live arthropods.

This species has a history of human-mediated dispersal, which is not surprising given its abundance and synanthropic habitat preferences. In northern regions, both in North America and in Europe, this species occasionally is found in greenhouses, and other heated buildings ( Sarnat et al. 2015).

Figures

Figure 3. Distribution of Cardiocondyla obscurior (5), Monomorium pharaonis (6), Pheidole bilimeki (7), Tetramorium atratulum (8), and Hypoponera ragusai (9) in Ohio.