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Myrmica lobifrons: Pretty darn similar to fracticornis. But seems to like it more under gambel oak and maple. #AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch #LonginoLab

Pheidole: A gigantic tropical genus. Over 1000 species! But diversity drops sharply as you move away from the tropics. Only 3 in our area. They have soldiers! A distinct caste with big heads.#AntsRule #LonginoLab #AntsoftheWasatch

Pheidole californica: What's a Californian doing in Utah? One of those quirks in the history of naming things. This one is widespread in the west. In our area, I've found them under stones in gambel oak scrub. Not too common.#AntsRule #LonginoLab #AntsoftheWasatch

Pheidole ceres: Seed eaters! At least in part. Lift rocks in the foothills and you'll find these with little piles of seeds. The big-headed soldiers are mainly seed crackers, so the larvae can munch of the soft insides of the seeds. #AntsRule #LonginoLab #AntsoftheWasatch

Pheidole pilifera: Pretty similar to Pheidole ceres, and pretty much lives in the same place and does the same thing, as far as I can tell.#AntsRule #AntsoftheWastach #LonginoLab

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis: The classic desert harvester ant. Ever had an Uncle Milton ant farm? These are what you get. An ecological force in SW deserts, moving seeds around & eating them). One species in our area, common in foothills. #AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch #LonginoLab

Polyergus mexicanus: If you're lucky you'll see an orange column of these charging across the ground, raiding other species' colonies. They keep prey alive as "enslaved" workers. Classic social parasite, here in our backyard. Look it up. #AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch

Ponera pennsylvanica: Lurking underfoot in our everyday lives. Common in gardens and under lawns, mostly subterranean. Notice the dinky eyes. Native and common in eastern US, but only in cities in the West. Maybe recently spread? Hitchhiking as lawns moved west? #AntsoftheWasatch

Solenopsis molesta: Competing with Brachymyrmex to be smallest. Always underground. Called "thief ants" because they supposedly sneak into the nests of larger ants, stealing food. Somebody should see if that's really true. #AntsoftheWasatch #AntsRule #LonginoLab

Stenamma diecki: Notice the small eyes? Look deep in moist rotting wood and litter to find these. Look in riparian zones, where oaks and maples line streams at lower elevations.#AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch #LonginoLab

Stenamma smithi: This is an oddball. I find occasional workers out at night in the open grassy foothills above Salt Lake. And the occasional winged queen up there. Big eyes for a US Stenamma. #AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch #LonginoLab

Strumigenys ananeotes: Just named in 2019! A new species I found in my back yard in SLC. Really! And so far only known from there. Surely there are more somewhere. #AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch #LonginoLab

Tapinoma sessile: Pleasantly named the "odorous house ant" because they often occur in houses and smell funny when you squash them. Actually one of the most common ants in North America, not just in houses.#AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch #LonginoLab

Temnothorax nevadensis: Little colonies in the soil on grassy, rocky hillslopes. I find occasional foragers on the surface when walking in the foothills. Have to get on my hands & knees and put my face to the ground to see them, though. Kinda small and kinda sparse.#AntsRule

Temnothorax nitens: I love these. A whole colony, 100s of workers & queen, fit in one gambel oak acorn. When you break it open they stay still, so you can hardly tell they are there. 100s of motionless ants give off a golden sheen, giving them away. #AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch

Temnothorax rugatulus: Look a lot like Leptothorax, even though in different genus. Kind of act like them too. But more common at lower elevations. They like forested areas, nesting under stones and in dead wood. #AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch #LonginoLab

Temnothorax JTL023: Found a few in litter in Red Butte Canyon. They just don't quite match any of the others. Matt Prebus (the expert in the group) says probably a new species! Nice! #AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch #LonginoLab

Tetramorium immigrans: Last but not least, the amazing pavement ant. Introduced from Europe, does super well in cities. Have you seen masses of black ants in a ball on the sidewalk in Spring? Two colonies in a territorial battle. Sort of a rugby scrum. #AntsRule #AntsoftheWasatch