Species: Ponera pennsylvanica

Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2013)

Distribution:

NEARCTIC: USA (MA, CT)

Biology:

Habitat: Usually abundant wherever there is moist, at least moderately rich soil, whether shaded or open, moist to dry-mesic, and even in highly degraded habitats such as lawns, gardens, fencerows, successional fields and thickets. P. pennsylvanica also occurs in sedge hummocks in fens. In prairie, it nests in the root-zone of sedges or grasses. In woodland, it nests in soil, in soft, rotten wood, and often in old acorns or occasionally other nuts.

Natural History: P. pennsylvanica is a generalist predator of small, soft-bodied invertebrates. I once found about 30 workers feeding on a smashed beetle larva under a rock. Colonies are small, rarely containing over 100 workers. Alates may be encountered, usually flying near trees, on clear late summer days.

Taxon Page Author History

Specimen Data Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 1 times found in standing tree trunk debris, 1 times found in mixed broadleaf, hemlock woods, 2 times found in Sand Pine/Oak Scrub, 1 times found in pine/oak managed forest, 2 times found in laurel thicket, mixed conifer/broadleaf forest, 1 times found in managed broadleaf forest, 1 times found in mixed pine hardwood forest, 1 times found in oak pine forest, 1 times found in pine-hemlock-northern hardwoods forest, 1 times found in Pinus strobus forest, ...

Collected most commonly using these methods or in the following microhabitats: 3 times Winkler, 2 times Pitfall trap, 4 times search, 1 times basal tree hole of large elm, 2 times Berlese, 1 times carrion trap (squid), 1 times sawdust under slab with Passalus, 1 times sifting litter upland hardwood, 1 times berlese cave

Elevations: collected from 5 - 2000 meters, 562 meters average

7 Specimens Imaged | View All 56 Specimens for this species

CASENT0003322

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CASENT0249230

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