Genus Pheidole Westwood ^HNS

This is one of the world’s largest ant genera, with more than 600 species recognized in the New World alone (Wilson 2003). The native California Pheidole ^HNS are all ground-dwelling species, found in open, dry habitats. A few of the species are generalized scavengers, but most belong to a group of seed-harvesting specialists, the P. pilifera-group ^HNS, with fifteen species in the state. There are also three introduced species, currently of limited distribution and confined to urban areas.

Species identification: keys in Gregg (1959), Wheeler and Wheeler (1986g) and Wilson(2003). Additional references: Clark et al. (1986), Cole (1956c), Creighton and Gregg (1955), Davidson (1977a), Johnson (2000a, 2000b, 2001), Langen et al. (2000), Martinez (1992, 1996, 1997), Snelling (1992b), Snelling and George (1979), Ward (2000), Wheeler and Wheeler (1973e).