Winter ant
Prenolepis imparis
insectView on iNaturalist
Tiny, dark brown ant active in winter and early spring. Controls soil invertebrate populations; beneficial for Bay Area garden health during cool months.
Plants that support Winter ant
5 plants
Blue Dicks
Dipterostemon capitatus
geophyte
Early spring honeydew and nectar source during colony activation Mar-May
Bay Area native
Milkmaids
Cardamine californica
perennial herb
Colonies associate with plant, potentially tending aphids
Bay Area native
Mugwort
Artemisia douglasiana
perennial herb
Nests in soil beneath plants; forages on foliage for mealybugs and aphids
Bay Area nativeKeystone species
Star lily
Toxicoscordion fremontii
perennial herb
Foraging on plant and associated insects during cool months
Bay Area native
Whiteleaf Manzanita
Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. laevigata
shrub
Spring foraging on nectar and attending hemipteran honeydew
Bay Area nativeKeystone species