Temnothorax

thumb|Temnothorax schaumii, Maryland Temnothorax is a genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It contains more than 500 species.

==Biology== The workers of Temnothorax species are generally small (mesosoma length 0.715 mm). Colonies are typically monogynous, although facultative polygyny has been documented in several species. Colony populations are usually quite small, often with less than 100 workers. However, several studies have found colonies of some species to be widely dispersed with several to many satellite nests. Many species are arboreal, living within hollow stems, old beetle or termite galleries, or in galls. Temnothorax species appear to be trophic generalists, feeding on a wide variety of scavenged items, including the elaiosomes of seeds. None have been documented to be active or aggressive predators.