Interactions with Plants

Only dried plant fragments remain on the ground, as these two Pogonomyrmex salinus workers forage near their nest in central Washington state. Although foraging activity is much higher in spring, and earlier in the summer, we do see these ants collecting some seeds and other plant matter (and scavenging dead insects) even at this time of year. It is more common in very late summer/autumn, however, to see plant material being brought out of the nest [see next image], and dumped in the midden. [scroll down for additional notes/references]