Ants Recovered from Refuse Pile of the Pyramid Ant Conomyrma insana (Buckley) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The pyramid ant, Conomyrma insana (Buckley) \[= Dorymyrmex pyramicus (Rogers) of North American literature\] (Snelling 1973), is also known as the lion ant because it is very active and predaceous, although it will also feed on honeydew. It has been reported to attack larvae of the corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and workers of the fire ant, Solenopsis geminata (F.), (Smith 1965). According to Whitcomb et al. (1972), this species is one of the most important predaceous ants in north Florida soybean fields and is very aggressive toward dealate females of Solenopsis invicta Buren before they dig into the ground.