Temporary Parasitism

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online

Temporary social parasites establish new colonies with the assistance of a host species. A queen of the parasite enters the nest of the host and chemically tricks the host workers into adopting her. The intruding queen kills or drives off the host queen and begins to lay her own eggs. Host workers remain in the colony and tend both their own eggs and the eggs of the new queen. Over time the host workers are replaced with workers from the new queen and the colony becomes completely populated by the new queen's offspring.

See Lasius umbratus and Colony Founding in Polyrhachis lamellidens for details on the natural history of temporarily parasitic ants.

Known Temporary Parasites

Temporary Parasite Host Locality Source Notes
Aphaenogaster tennesseensis Aphaenogaster fulva
Aphaenogaster tennesseensis Aphaenogaster picea
Aphaenogaster tennesseensis Aphaenogaster rudis
Dorymyrmex smithi Dorymyrmex insanus
Formica adamsi Formica neorufibarbis
Formica aquilonia Formica fusca Chernenko et al., 2013; de la Mora et al., 2021
Formica aquilonia Formica picea Chernenko et al., 2013; de la Mora et al., 2021
Formica bruni Formica (Serviformica) species de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica brunneonitida Formica candida Seifert & Schultz, 2021
Formica caucasicola Formica picea Georgia Seifert & Schultz, 2021
Formica dakotensis Formica fusca
Formica dakotensis Formica glacialis J. Trager, pers. comm. sometimes as a cohabiting inquiline
Formica dakotensis Formica lepida
Formica dakotensis Formica montana
Formica dakotensis Formica pallidefulva
Formica dakotensis Formica subaenescens Gregg, 1963; Mackay & Mackay, 2002
Formica dakotensis Formica subsericea
Formica difficilis Formica incerta
Formica dirksi Formica subaenescens
Formica exsecta Formica cunicularia de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica exsecta Formica fusca de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica exsecta Formica lemani de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica fennica unknown
Formica foreli Formica (Serviformica) species de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018 primary host likely to be ''F. fusca'', ''F. cunicularia'' or ''F. rufibarbis''
Formica forsslundi Formica picea de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica forsslundi Formica transkaucasica
Formica frontalis Iberoformica subrufa Spain de la Mora et al., 2021; Ruano et al., 2018
Formica fukaii Formica japonica Kubota & Kondoh, 1954; Hayashida, 1963
Formica fukaii Formica lemani Yamaoka, 1977
Formica indianensis unknown
Formica knighti Formica subsericea needs confirmation
Formica lugubris Formica (Serviformica) species de la Mora et al., 2021; Ruano et al., 1=2019
Formica lugubris Formica fusca de la Mora et al., 2021; Chernenko et al., 2013
Formica lugubris Formica lemani de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica lugubris Formica picea de la Mora et al., 2021; Chernenko et al., 2013
Formica manchu unknown
Formica mesasiatica unknown
Formica microgyna Formica argentea Gregg, 1963; Mackay & Mackay, 2002
Formica microgyna Formica lasioides Gregg, 1963; Mackay & Mackay, 2002
Formica microgyna Formica neogagates Gregg, 1963; Mackay & Mackay, 2002
Formica microgyna Formica subaenescens Gregg, 1963; Mackay & Mackay, 2002
Formica morsei unknown
Formica nepticula unknown
Formica nevadensis unknown
Formica obscuripes Formica pacifica
Formica pisarskii Formica candida Seifert & Schultz, 2021
Formica polyctena Formica (Serviformica) species de la Mora et al., 2021; Ruano et al., 2018; Seifert, 2018
Formica postoculata unknown
Formica pratensis Formica cunicularia de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica pratensis Formica fusca de la Mora et al., 2021; Ruano et al., 2018
Formica pressilabris Formica lemani
Formica pressilabris Formica lemani de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica querquetulana Formica subaenescens
Formica rufa Formica cunicularia de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica rufa Formica fusca de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica scitula unknown
Formica spatulata unknown
Formica suecica Formica fusca needs confirmation
Formica suecica Formica lemani de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Formica suecica Formica transkaucasica
Formica truncorum Formica fusca Chernenko et al., 2011; de la Mora et al., 2021; Ruano et al., 2018; Seifert, 2018
Formica truncorum Formica lemani de la Mora et al., 2021; Ruano et al., 2018
Formica truncorum Formica polyctena de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018 single observation
Formica truncorum Formica pratensis de la Mora et al., 2021; Ruano et al., 2018
Formica truncorum Formica rufibarbis Chernenko et al., 2011; de la Mora et al., 2021; Ruano et al., 2018
Formica ulkei Formica subaenescens
Formica uralensis Formica transkaucasica
Formica yessensis Formica (Serviformica) species de la Mora et al., 2021; Ruano et al., 2018
Lasius arizonicus unknown
Lasius bicornis unknown de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018
Lasius californicus unknown
Lasius carniolicus Lasius alienus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018 unconfirmed
Lasius carniolicus Lasius flavus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018
Lasius carniolicus Lasius niger de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Lasius carniolicus Lasius piliferus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Raczkowski et al., 2011 unconfirmed
Lasius carniolicus Lasius psammophilus de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Lasius citrinus Lasius brunneus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018 indirect evidence
Lasius citrinus Lasius niger de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004 needs confirmation
Lasius claviger Lasius alienus de la Mora et al., 2021; Raczkowski & Luque, 2011
Lasius claviger Lasius americanus Ellison et al., 2012
Lasius claviger Lasius neoniger Ellison et al., 2012
Lasius coloradensis unknown
Lasius distinguendus Lasius paralienus de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Lasius distinguendus Lasius platythorax de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018; Schlick-Steiner et al., 2002
Lasius fuliginosus Lasius bicornis de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Lasius fuliginosus Lasius jensi de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018 as ''Lasius jensi'' x ''umbratus''
Lasius fuliginosus Lasius meridionalis de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Lasius fuliginosus Lasius mixtus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004 unconfirmed
Lasius fuliginosus Lasius rabaudi de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004 unconfirmed
Lasius fuliginosus Lasius sabularum de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Lasius fuliginosus Lasius umbratus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018
Lasius interjectus Lasius alienus de la Mora et al., 2021; Raczkowski & Luque, 2011
Lasius interjectus Lasius claviger de la Mora et al., 2021; Raczkowski & Luque, 2011
Lasius interjectus Lasius latipes de la Mora et al., 2021; Raczkowski & Luque, 2011
Lasius interjectus Lasius minutus de la Mora et al., 2021; Raczkowski & Luque, 2011
Lasius interjectus Lasius murphyi de la Mora et al., 2021; Raczkowski & Luque, 2011
Lasius interjectus Lasius umbratus de la Mora et al., 2021; Raczkowski & Luque, 2011
Lasius jensi Lasius alienus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018
Lasius latipes Lasius alienus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Raczkowski et al., 2011
Lasius latipes Lasius americanus Ellison et al., 2012; Mackay & Mackay, 2002
Lasius latipes Lasius crypticus Mackay & Mackay, 2002
Lasius latipes Lasius neoniger de la Mora et al., 2021; Ellison et al., 2012; Janda et al., 2004; Mackay & Mackay, 2002; Raczkowski et al., 2011
Lasius meridionalis Lasius alienus Europe Collingwood, 1979; de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018 unconfirmed
Lasius meridionalis Lasius hayashi Japan Japanese Ant Image Database needs confirmation
Lasius meridionalis Lasius japonicus Japan Japanese Ant Image Database needs confirmation
Lasius meridionalis Lasius niger Europe Collingwood, 1979; de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018 unconfirmed
Lasius meridionalis Lasius psammophilus Europe Collingwood, 1979; de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018
Lasius mexicanus unknown
Lasius minutus Lasius americanus Ellison et al., 2012
Lasius minutus Lasius pallitarsis Ellison et al., 2012
Lasius mixtus Lasius flavus de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018; Schlick-Steiner et al., 2002
Lasius mixtus Lasius niger Collingwood, 1979; de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018 unconfirmed
Lasius mixtus Lasius platythorax de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Lasius murphyi Lasius neoniger de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Raczkowski et al., 2011
Lasius occidentalis unknown
Lasius orientalis Lasius flavus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004
Lasius plumopilosus Lasius claviger Ellison et al., 2012
Lasius pogonogynus unknown
Lasius pubescens unknown
Lasius rabaudi Lasius niger
Lasius reginae Lasius alienus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018
Lasius reginae Lasius myops de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018 unconfirmed
Lasius sabularum Lasius niger de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018 unconfirmed
Lasius spathepus Lasius japonicus Japanese Ant Image Database needs confirmation
Lasius speculiventris Lasius minutus Ellison et al., 2012
Lasius subglaber unknown
Lasius subumbratus Lasius neoniger de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004
Lasius subumbratus Lasius pallitarsis de la Mora et al., 2021; Ellison et al., 2012; Janda et al., 2004
Lasius umbratus Lasius alienus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004 unconfirmed
Lasius umbratus Lasius brunneus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018
Lasius umbratus Lasius emarginatus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004 unconfirmed
Lasius umbratus Lasius neoniger
Lasius umbratus Lasius niger de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018
Lasius umbratus Lasius pallitarsis Ellison et al., 2012
Lasius umbratus Lasius platythorax de la Mora et al., 2021; Seifert, 2018
Lasius umbratus Lasius psammophilus de la Mora et al., 2021; Janda et al., 2004; Seifert, 2018 unconfirmed
Myrmica bibikoffi Myrmica sabuleti Switzerland de la Mora et al., 2021; Jansen et al., 2010; Radchenko & Elmes, 2003
Myrmica bibikoffi Myrmica spinosior Germany; Catalonia, Spain de la Mora et al., 2021; Garcia et al., 2008; Jansen et al., 2010
Myrmica luteola Manica yessensis Japan de la Mora et al., 2021; Jansen et al., 2010; Masuko & Terayama, 2002
Myrmica semiparasitica Myrmica punctiventris Canada, United States de la Mora et al., 2021; Jansen et al., 2010
Myrmica vandeli Myrmica scabrinodis Europe de la Mora et al., 2021; Jansen et al., 2010; Seifert, 2018
Polyrhachis lamellidens Camponotus japonicus Kohriba, 1963
Polyrhachis lamellidens Camponotus kiusiuensis Sakai, 1990 Needs confirmation
Polyrhachis lamellidens Camponotus obscuripes Sakai, 1990
Pseudomyrmex seminole Pseudomyrmex pallidus Ward, 1985
Strongylognathus afer unknown
Strongylognathus minutus unknown
Strongylognathus pisarskii unknown
Strongylognathus potanini unknown
Strongylognathus tylonus unknown

References