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Winter ant

Prenolepis imparis

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

moderate

geophyte

Early spring honeydew and nectar source during colony activation Mar-May

Bay Area native

Milkmaids

Cardamine californica

moderate

perennial herb

Colonies associate with plant, potentially tending aphids

Bay Area native

Mugwort

Artemisia douglasiana

moderate

perennial herb

Nests in soil beneath plants; forages on foliage for mealybugs and aphids

Bay Area nativeKeystone species

Star lily

Toxicoscordion fremontii

moderate

perennial herb

Foraging on plant and associated insects during cool months

Bay Area native

Whiteleaf Manzanita

Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. laevigata

moderate

shrub

Spring foraging on nectar and attending hemipteran honeydew

Bay Area nativeKeystone species