B.S. 1974, Northern Illinois University
M.S. 1977, University of Kansas
Ph.D. 1984, University of Florida

James Trager is a U.S. entomologist and naturalist. He currently works as a biologist/naturalist for the Shaw Nature Reserve of the Missouri Botanical Garden in Gray Summit, Missouri. He is in charge of ecological restoration, vegetation management, natural history education programs, and is liaison to academic researchers who use the Reserve as a field site.  James is also an active ant taxonomist and has published notable revisions of such groups as Solenpsis, Dorymyrmex, Paratrechina, and Formica (pallidefulva group).

Myrmecological Publications of James C. Trager: (through 2010)

Trager, J. C. 1984. A new Paratrechina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Machu Picchu, Peru. Florida Entomologist 66: 482-486. pdf

Trager, J. C. 1984. A revision of the genus Paratrechina of the continental United States. Sociobiology 9: 51-162. pdf

Trager, J. C. 1988. A revision of Conomyrma from the southeastern United States, especially Florida, with keys to the species. Florida Entomologist 71: 11-29. pdf

Trager, J. C. 1988. Geroge C. Wheeler – an Appreciation in Trager, J. C (editor). Advances in myrmecology. E. J. Brill, New York. 551 pp. pdf

Trager, J. C. 1991. A revision of the fire ants, Solenopsis geminata group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Myrmicinae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 99: 141-198. pdf

Trager, J. C. and C. Johnson. 1985. A slave-making ant in Florida: Polyergus lucidus with observations on the natural history of its host Formica archboldi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 68: 261-266. pdf

Trager, J.C. and C. Johnson. 1988. The ant genus Leptogenys (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Ponerinae) in the United States. Chapter 4 in Trager, J. C (editor). Advances in myrmecology. E. J. Brill, New York . 551 pp. browse at Google Books.

Trager, James C. 1998. An introduction to ants (Formicidae) of the tallgrass prairie. Missouri Prairie Journal. Vol. 18:4-8. Jamestown , ND : Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/insects/ants/index.htm (Version 17 MAY 99).

Trager, J. C., J. A. MacGown and M. D. Trager. 2007. Revision of the Nearctic endemic Formica pallidefulva group. Pages 610-636 in Snelling, R. R., B. L. Fisher and P. S. Ward. Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Homage to E.O. Wilson - 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 80. pdf

Deyrup, M. and J. Trager. 1984. Strumigenys rogeri, and African dacetine ant new to the U.S. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 67:512-516.

Deyrup, M., J. C. Trager and N. Carlin. 1985. The genus Odontomachus in the southeastern United States (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomological News 96: 188-195. Browse

Deyrup, M. and J. Trager. 1986. Ants of the Archbold Biological Station, Highlands County, Florida (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 69:206-228. pdf

Deyrup, M., N. Carlin and J. C. Trager. 1988. A review of the ants of the Florida Keys. Florida Entomologist 71(2): 163-176. pdf

King, J. R. and J. C. Trager. 2007. Natural history of the slave making ant, Polyergus lucidus, sensu lato in northern Florida and its three Formica pallidefulva group hosts. Journal of Insect Science 7(42): 1-14. pdf

Redford , K., A. MacLean Stearman, J. Trager. 1989. The kinkajou (Potos flavus) as a myrmecophage. Mammalia 53(1): 132-134.

Ross, K. G., and J. C. Trager. 1990. Systematics and population genetics of fire ants (Solenopsis saevissima complex) from Argentina. Evolution 44: 2113-2134.

Works in progress:
Global revision of the ant genus Polyergus (in preparation)
AntWeb Illinois: http://www.antweb.org/illinois.jsp
AntWeb Missouri: http://www.antweb.org/missouri.jsp

LINKS
Global Ant Project -- World Ant Taxonomists- James C. Trager
AntWeb: Missouri Ants, by James Trager
AntWeb: Illinois Ants, by James Trager and Laura Rericha
Ants of the Southeastern United States: Ants of Missouri, by James C. Trager
Shaw Nature Reserve, Missouri Botanical Garden