Formica compressa

Smith, F., 1858, Catalogue of the hymenopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part VI. Formicidae., London: British Museum : 13-14

44. Formica compressa . B.M.

Formica compressa, Fabr. Mant. Ins. i. 307. 2 [[worker]]; Ent. Syst. ii. 350. 2; Syst. Piez. 396. 2.

Oliv. Encycl. Meth. vi. 491.

Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourni. 111.

Formica compressa, Hardw . Zool. Journ. iv. 114.

St. Farg. Hym. i. 214. 17.

Jerdon, Madr. Journ. (1851) 119; Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 2nd ser. xiii. 103.

Smith, Journ. Proc. Linn. Soc. ii. 53.

Formica indefessa, Sykes , Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond.i. 104. pl. 13. f. 6.

Hab. India (Madras, Bengal); Hong Kong; North China (Shanghai); Philippine Islands; Australia?

Female. Length 6-7 lines.-Black: the flagellum, coxae and femora, and the base of the abdomen beneath, usually more or less ferruginous; the head rather narrower than the thorax; the body shining; the wings hyaline, slightly fuscous anteriorly, with the nervures fusco-ferruginous; the scale emarginate above, subquadrate, with the lateral angles above rounded. Abdomen ovate.

Male. Length 4 lines.-Black: the head small, subtriangular above; the body beneath, the legs, mandibles and flagellum usually testaceous, differing in depth of colour; wings subhyaline, yellowish anteriorly,

Mr. Jerdon says, " This species is well known in India as the Black Ant; it is found in every part of the country; it lives in numerous societies under ground; the warriors are very numerous. At certain times great numbers of the winged males and females are seen at the mouth of the nest; they remain there for several days, when they take wing in vast numbers, always at night,"