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Ants of Zihuatanejo

FAMILY FORMICIDAE

Bicolored Pyramid Ants
Dorymyrmex bicolor

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies (Order Hymenoptera)

-Narrow-waisted Wasps, Ants, and Bees (Suborder Apocrita)

-Ants, Bees, and Stinging Wasps (Infraorder Aculeata)

-Superfamily Formicoidea

-Ants (Family Formicidae)

-Odorous Ants (Subfamily Dolichoderinae)

-Leptomyrmecin Ants (Tribe Leptomyrmecini)

-Pyramid Ants (Genus Dorymyrmex)

-Bicolored Pyramid Ant (Dorymyrmex bicolor)


The Bicolored Pyramid Ant (Dorymyrmex bicolor) is a species of ant in the subfamily Formicinae. This species is known for its distinctive coloration and pyramid-shaped appearance of its thorax. This ant typically exhibits a bicolored appearance, with a combination of light and dark coloration, often featuring a reddish or brownish hue on the body, while the gaster is usually darker. Theser ants build their nests underground. The nests are usually simple and can be found in dry, sandy areas. They may create small mounds at the nest entrance.



Diet

  • Omnivorous, feeding primarily on honeydew from aphids, scale insects, and treehoppers, as well as nectar, plant sap, dead insects, and other small arthropods.

  • Workers also scavenge carrion and occasionally prey on soft-bodied insects.

  • Frequently visit flowers and extrafloral nectaries for sugary foods.

Range

  • Native to Mexico and parts of Central America.

  • In Mexico, it occurs across much of the Pacific slope, including Guerrero and the Zihuatanejo region, as well as other warm, seasonally dry areas.

  • Most common at low to moderate elevations.

Habitat

  • Inhabits tropical dry forests, thorn scrub, grasslands, open woodland, coastal scrub, agricultural land, and disturbed habitats.

  • Builds nests in well-drained sandy or rocky soils, often with small crater-like entrances.

  • Prefers sunny, open areas and forages actively during the warmer parts of the day.

Size

  • Worker length: 2–4 mm (0.08–0.16 in)

  • Queen length: 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in)

  • Colonies typically contain several hundred to several thousand workers.

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