Polyergus rufescens-breviceps group

Alate female, ergatoid and worker castes mostly red in color, with varying degrees of infuscation of the lower mesosoma, gaster and appendages, or less often, bicolored (red foreparts with dark gaster; nanitic workers from young colonies are typically bicolored); densely pubescent on all gastral tergites. Most parasitize certain members of the F. fusca group, but one also parasitizes several members of the F. neogagates group. Mainly western North American from British Columbia to Ontario, Canada, south through California to the highlands of Baja California and Hidalgo, Mexico, and east to the Mississippi Valley. One species occurs in much of Europe, and in Asia east to the mountains of western China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.