About Formica subsericea Say, 1836
Formica subsericea, commonly called the black field ant, is a species of ant in the genus Formica. It can be found in eastern United States and Canada. Worker ants of this species are very fast and quite timid. They are commonly found living as slaves in Polyergus colonies. Nuptial flights of this species typically happen in July or August. It is often mixed up with another Formica species, Formica fusca. Larvae of Microdon megalogaster, a species in the ant fly genus, have been spotted inside the nests of these ants. The inquiline relationship between these fly larvae and F. subsericea is not well understood.
