Ants of Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, Oktibbeha and Noxubee Counties, Mississippi
Joe A. MacGown and JoVonn G. Hill

Click links to view ants in the primary habitat types at the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge.
[Noxubee Ants-all habitats] [pine forests] [pine/hardwood forests] [bottomland hardwood forests] [upland hardwood forests] [fields, grasslands, & other open areas] [disturbed wooded areas]

A recent project was undertaken by the MEM to survey the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Oktibbeha, Noxubee, and Winston Counties for ants. The refuge owns approximately 47,000 acres, which can be separated into three primary habitats: forests, fields and grasslands, and wetlands. By far, forests form the majority of the refuge and cover about 45,000 acres (about 93%). The forests can be further divided into four major types including pine (23,619 acres), mixed pine/hardwood (2,851 acres), bottomland hardwood (15,453 acres), and upland hardwood (3,263 acres). In this study we examined six terrestrial habitat types to determine species compositions for each habitat. Habitat types for this study included pine forests (both mature and young forests, and recently burned or unburned); bottomland hardwood forests (including cypress dominanted areas); upland hardwood forests; mixed pine/hardwood forests (including one area intermixed with cedar); open habitats including fields, grasslands, roadsides, and a sand pit; and disturbed, open mixed forests located near buildings and picnic areas. The latter disturbed sites were included because of their likelihood of being ideal habitats for various exotic species. In addition to the ants collected during this survey, the total list of species from the refuge includes earlier records of ants collected by the Mississippi Entomological Museum (MEM). Collecting methods included baiting, beating and sweeping vegetation, litter sampling, and visually searching for ants and their colonies. Our collections have revealed a diverse fauna, and we have collected 93 species (species list) at the refuge.

Cypress trees at Pete's Slough

List of Ant Species from Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge

(Species are arranged taxonomically by genus)

    Subfamily Dolichoderinae
        Tribe Dolichoderini
           Dorymyrmex bureni (Trager)
           Forelius mccooki (McCook)
           Linepithema humile (Mayr) (introduced, pest)
           Tapinoma sessile (Say) (pest)

    Subfamily Formicinae
        Tribe Lasiini
           Lasius alienus (Foerster)
           Lasius umbratus (Nylander)

        Tribe Plagiolepidini
           Brachymyrmex depilis Emery
           Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr (introduced, pest)
           Brachymyrmex sp.-03 ?? (apparently different from B. depilis)
           Paratrechina arenivaga (Wheeler)
           Paratrechina faisonensis (Forel)
           Paratrechina parvula (Mayr)
           Paratrechina vividula (Nylander) (introduced?, pest)
           Prenolepis imparis (Say)

        Tribe Formicini
           Formica biophilica Trager
           Formica dolosa Buren
           Formica pallidefulva Latreille

    Subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae
        Tribe Pseudomyrmecini
           Pseudomyrmex ejectus (Smith) (pest?)
           Pseudomyrmex pallidus (Smith) (pest?)

    Subfamily Amblyoponinae
        Tribe Amblyoponini
           Amblyopone pallipes (Haldeman)

    Subfamily Ponerinae
        Tribe Ponerini
           Cryptopone gilva (Roger)
           Hypoponera inexorata (Wheeler)
           Hypoponera opaciceps (Mayr) (introduced)
           Hypoponera opacior (Forel)
           Ponera exotica Smith
           Ponera pennsylvanica Buckley

    Subfamily Proceratiinae
        Tribe Proceratiini
           Discothyrea testacea Roger
           Proceratium pergandei (Emery)
           Proceratium silaceum Roger

        Tribe Attini
           Cyphomyrmex rimosus (Spinola) (introduced)
           Trachymyrmex septentrionalis (McCook)

Tribe Stenammini
Stenamma impar Forel

        Tribe Solenopsidini
           Monomorium minimum (Buckley) (pest)
           Solenopsis abdita Thompson
           Solenopsis invicta x richteri (introduced, pest)
           Solenopsis tennesseensis M.R.Smith
           Solenopsis carolinensis Forel ?? [appears to be this species]

        Tribe Myrmicini
           Myrmica pinetorum Wheeler
           Myrmica punctiventris Roger

        Tribe Pheidolini
           Aphaenogaster carolinensis Wheeler
         Aphaenogaster fulva Roger
           Aphaenogaster lamellidens Mayr
           Aphaenogaster mariae Forel
           Aphaenogaster treatae Forel
           Pheidole bicarinata Mayr (pest?)
           Pheidole (crassicornis group) sp.-01
           Pheidole dentata Mayr (pest?)
           Pheidole dentigula Smith
           Pheidole metallescens Emery
           Pheidole tysoni Forel

        Tribe Crematogastrini
           Crematogaster ashmeadi Mayr (pest)
           Crematogaster lineolata (Say) (pest)
           Crematogaster minutissima Mayr
           Crematogaster pilosa Emery (pest)
           Crematogaster vermiculata Emery

        Tribe Formicoxenini
           Temnothorax curvispinosus (Mayr)
           Temnothorax longispinosus (Roger)
           Temnothorax pergandei (Emery)
           Temnothorax schaumii (Roger)

Tribe Myrmecinini
Myrmecina americana Emery

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For questions or comments about this page contact Joe MacGown: jmacgown@entomology.msstate.ed