. Collected papers on ants. Ants. 390 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXI, Prenolepis Mayr. 54. P. imparls (Say) Emery. — Caldwell (Cresson); Camden Co. (Fox); Halifax (Wheeler). This is the largest and most widely distributed of the North American species of the genus. It prefers to nest in shady oak woods in soil containing more or less clay. It is almost never found nesting under stones but forms small circular craters consisting of earthen pellets. The workers visit trees for the purpose of feeding on the excretions of the extrafioral n e ctaries. I have seen them eagerl
. Collected papers on ants. Ants. 390 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXI, Prenolepis Mayr. 54. P. imparls (Say) Emery. — Caldwell (Cresson); Camden Co. (Fox); Halifax (Wheeler). This is the largest and most widely distributed of the North American species of the genus. It prefers to nest in shady oak woods in soil containing more or less clay. It is almost never found nesting under stones but forms small circular craters consisting of earthen pellets. The workers visit trees for the purpose of feeding on the excretions of the extrafioral n e ctaries. I have seen them eagerly licking these organs on the leaves of Ailanthus glan- dulosus. After imbibing these liquids the gas-. Fig. I.—A outer, B median, and C inner genital valve of male Prenolepis imparis Say. ter often be- comes so dis- tended that it is four or five times its normal size and the elegant gait of the insect becomes an awkward waddle. In this replete condition the P. paris worker may be said to represent a temporary stage of the more extraordinary development of the gaster seen in the honey-ants (Myrmecocystus). The males and females of P. imparis often pass the winter in the parental nest and celebrate their nuptial flight in the spring. 55. P. imparis var. testacea Emery. — Clementon (Viereck); Med- ford (Viereck); Lakehurst (Davis and Wheeler). A pale variety which nests only in sandy regions and on this ac- count is the only form of the species to be found in localities like the pine barrens. It is exceedingly common at Lakehurst but seems to be somewhat nocturnal in its habits. Once only during the daytime have I seen the workers leaving the nest in a file to visit some Aphides on a neighboring oak. They readily assume the replete condition, and owing to their yellowish color resemble the honey-ants even more closely than do the workers of the typical form. 56. P. parvula Mayr. — Atco (Viereck); Clementon (Viereck);. Please note that these images are extracted from
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