● Fernley [Lyon Co], NV USA [el. 1271 m / 4171 ft] view location in Google Maps » ● 6/22/10 7:09AM sunny, air temp: 15°C / 59°F

[IMAGE 2 of 4] The first thing one notices about Messor lariversi workers, are the large, light-gathering eyes. These ants apparently forage for seeds during the night, and at twilight. The workers shown here, however, were observed and imaged while conducting early morning nest maintenance - on a bright, sunny day. [scroll down for additional notes/references]

ADDITIONAL NOTES/REFERENCES: This unusual member of the genus Veromessor is a nocturnal/twilight forager. These ants subsist mostly on harvested seeds, though they will scavenge dead insects (and other arthropods) as well. Veromessror lariversi workers are honey-colored, and have very large eyes well suited to their nocturnal habits. Their small (7.6 cm / 3 inch diameter) nests are found in sandy areas of Nevada, and California, USA. Colonies are small, containing several hundred members, and the workers are gentle and inoffensive - showing no signs of aggressive/defensive behavior when being imaged. These ants are not often encountered.

·Cole, A.C. 1966. Ants of the Nevada Test Site. Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series - Vol. VII, Number 3, June 1966
·Fisher, B.L. & S.P. Cover. 2007. Ants of North America: A Guide to the Genera. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA, University of California Press
·Johnson, R.A. 2000. Seed Harvesting Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of North America: An Overview of Ecology and Biogeography. Sociobiology Vol.36, No. 1, 2000