Bug FAQBicolored Pyramid Ant
Dorymyrmex bicolor · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Formicidae
Also called: Bi-colored Pyramid Ant
The bicolored pyramid ant has a two-toned body and builds crater-shaped sand mounds, and it has a single petiole with a slit-like opening that releases chemicals. It lives mainly in arid desert areas across the southwestern United States, parts of Mexico, Central America and a few Caribbean islands.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It is called the bicolored pyramid ant because its body shows two colors and its nests look like small pyramids of sand. The ant has one petiole and a slit-like opening that can emit chemical compounds.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
This ant does not have a sting.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers dry desert habitats and builds crater-shaped nests out of fine sand.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The species forages actively and can affect seed germination and plant distribution.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
In the United States it occurs in California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma, and its range extends into Mexico, Central America and some Caribbean islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It was formerly known as Conomyrma bicolor before being renamed Dorymyrmex bicolor.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 8 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona, California, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Kansas, Oklahoma.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What does the bicolored pyramid ant look like?
It has a two-tone body, a single petiole, and a slit-like opening that releases chemicals.
Source: Wikipedia
Where does this ant live?
It lives mainly in arid desert regions and builds crater-shaped sand nests.
Source: Wikipedia
What is its geographic range?
It is found in the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America and some Caribbean islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Formicidae)
Eastern Black Carpenter AntCamponotus pennsylvanicusCan damage your home
Red Imported Fire AntSolenopsis invictaCan sting
American Winter AntPrenolepis imparis
Argentine AntLinepithema humileNuisance, not dangerous
Immigrant Pavement AntTetramorium immigransCan sting
Odorous House AntTapinoma sessileCan damage your homeSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorymyrmex_bicolor
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.