Genus LIOMETOPUM Mayr

    

     Liometopum is a small Holarctic genus of arboreal ants. The three New World species are limited to western North America. One species is found along the western margins of both the Mojave and Colorado Deserts. All of our records for this species are apparently incursions along water courses.
     These ants are commonly associated with cottonwood and oak trees. Colonies are very populous and in late afternoon long,
dense files of the workers may be seen moving between trees. When disturbed, the ants are quite aggressive and spray attackers with an especially disagreeable secretion. They are effective foragers and, while apparently omnivorous, do capture insects. Aphids and pseudococcids are tended for their secretions.

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Date of this version 19, October 2003
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