Prenolepis imparis
Prenolepis imparis
''Prenolepis imparis'', commonly known as the winter ant, false honey ant, or false honeypot ant, is a species of ant in the genus ''Prenolepis''. The species is found in North America, from Canada to Mexico, nesting deep within the ground. Unusual among ants, ''Prenolepis imparis'' prefers lower temperatures, including near freezing, and is only active outside the nest during winter and early spring. ''Prenolepis imparis'' enters a hibernation-like state called aestivation during the summer.
''P. imparis'' secretes an opaque white liquid from its abdomen as a defense against other ants, including ''Linepithema humile''. The defensive secretions appear to be derived anatomically from the Dufour's gland and has been shown to contain a mixture of alkanes and alkenes including hexadecene, octadecene, tetradecene, octylcyclohexane, and hexadecane. Secretions from ''P. imparis'' have experimentally been shown to often kill ''L. humile'' workers.
''P. imparis'' secretes an opaque white liquid from its abdomen as a defense against other ants, including ''Linepithema humile''. The defensive secretions appear to be derived anatomically from the Dufour's gland and has been shown to contain a mixture of alkanes and alkenes including hexadecene, octadecene, tetradecene, octylcyclohexane, and hexadecane. Secretions from ''P. imparis'' have experimentally been shown to often kill ''L. humile'' workers.