family found 



ch sand sere plant stage except the oak-hickory (afte 



Spider family 



Middle 

 beach 



Grass 

 stage 



Beech- 

 maple 



that occurs. On hot dry days these ants withdraw to 

 several inches below the surface and emerge only in 

 the cool of the evening. 



In the pine stage, the slight mixture of humus in 

 the sand is decidedly favorable, food is more abun- 

 dant and varied. Of 18 ant species found, 9 live in 

 patches of open sand with no shelter, 6 require sand 

 with some protection above it (logs, bark, needles), 

 and 3 are strictly log-inhabiting forms. Monomorhim 

 minimum and Paretrechina parvula are characteristic 

 species. 



In the black oak community, 29 species occur of 

 which only 6 live in scattered open areas of sand. 

 These 6 species are quickly crowded out when there 

 is development of a complete leaf covering over the 

 ground. Formica paUide-fulva, which was becoming 

 important in the pine community, is the predominant 

 ant in the black oak stage. Its nests are invariably 

 found under pieces of bark or branches lying on 

 rather open ground. 



As the sere advances into the white and red oaks 

 stage, open areas of sand disappear, humus and mois- 

 ture increase, logs in all stages of decay occur, the 

 whole area becomes shaded, and the daily extremes 

 in temperature and humidity typical of the open dunes 

 are considerably curtailed. Species of ants character- 

 istic of the early stages disappear, and forms that are 

 found in mesic deciduous forests generally predom- 

 inate, although there are only six species found here 

 that do not also occur in the black oak community. 

 Formica truncicola obscuriventris is the most numer- 

 ous species. The number of colonies and variety of 

 species reach maximum in the oak stages. 



In the climax beech-maple community, the num- 

 ber of soil-dwelling forms is reduced, perhaps be- 

 cause of the thick rich humus, although log-inhabiting 

 forms are numerous. Lasius niger alienus americaniis 

 and Aphoenogaster fnlva aquia picea are the only ants 

 abundant in the deep woods ; ants are more numerous 

 in the forest-edge than in the forest-interior. 



108 Habitats, communities, 



succession 



