Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

The Ants of The Santa Barbara
Museum of Natural History
Leptothorax rugatulus
native
About this ant

Description

This species can be recognized by the following characteristics:
  • Worker length 2.5-3mm
  • Color yellowish brown, with head and abdomen slightly darker
  • Head and thorax roughly textured, not as shiny as abdomen

Distribution

Leptothorax rugatulus is found throughout western North America, from the Dakotas westward, south through California, Arizona and Texas into Mexico. In California most published records are from higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.

Ecology

This ant prefers to nest in rotten wood and under rocks. Our single collection of this species was from a treehole in a coast live oak.
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