Habitat: There seems to be some confusion regarding the ecology, or perhaps the identification, of C. pilosa. According to Johnson (1988) -- the species is mainly arboreal preferring mesic forests, overgrown fields, orchards, landscaped areas, and will nest in trees, grasses, reeds, etc.-, and MacGown at http://www.msstate.edu/org/mississippientmuseum/Researchtaxapages/Formicidaepages/genericpages/Cremato.pilosa.htm states --Crematogaster pilosa is a common species in this area that nests in logs, fallen branches, and in hollow stems of many species of plants (shrubs, grass, trees, forbes {sic}, etc.). Both of these accounts are at variance with other published reports and my own experience of this ant as a species that nests near the ground in wet-mesic and wet habitats. In an account from Ohio by Coovert (2005) more similar to my experience, it is reported from semi-open and areas as well as moist woods, and significantly, he also reports it feeding at flowers of Oxypolis rigidior, a wet-prairie and sedge meadow plant. In Missouri, I have collected C. pilosa nesting in sedge tussocks both in a wet prairie in Howell Co. and in a fen in Washington Co.

Natural History: Largely unknown, but C. pilosa no doubt preys, scavenges and gathers honeydew and nectar like its congeners. Alates are reared and disperse in high summer.