Abstract
Polyergus lucidus Mayr nested in sunny, well-drained fields. Its nest structure resembled that of Formica pallidefulva nitidiventris Emery, its slave species. Three types of external nest structure were observed: a simple crater of discarded pellets, a hidden entrance at the base of a grass clump and a chambered mound. Colonies occasionally became inactive and died out, probably because of an unknown disease. Adult sexual forms were present from early July until midSeptember; and mating flights occurred on hot, sunny afternoons between late July and mid-September. Alates normally flew without mating, but queens occasionally mated on the ground near the nest. Myrmica americana Weber preyed upon P. lucidus and its slaves as well as P. breviceps Emery. Acanthomyops claviger (Roger), Solenopsis molesta (Say), Monomorium minimum (Buckley), Lasius neoniger Emery and Formica fusca Linnaeus also harassed P. lucidus. Camponotus pennsylvanicus (De Geer) ambushed returning columns of P. breviceps.
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