Stats

Lifespan

1-2 years

Size

Tiny

Diet

Omnivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Colony

Biome

Temperate grassland

Range

North America

Movement

Running

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Speed

Status

Uncommon

About

This golden ant builds small, cone-shaped mounds in sandy North American soils. It defends its nest by spraying a foul-smelling chemical from its abdomen.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Dorymyrmex

Species

Dorymyrmex flavus