Invertebrates
Red Wood Ant
Formica rufa · also called southern wood ant
In a sunlit pine forest, a red wood ant mound seethes with workers streaming along trails, carrying caterpillars and honeydew back to the nest.
Overview
The red wood ant, Formica rufa, is a Not Evaluated ant of coniferous and mixed forests across Europe and parts of northern Asia. Its huge needle mounds, formic acid spray, and role in protecting trees make it one of the most important insects of European forests.
An ant that shapes a forest
By hunting insects, farming aphids, and spreading seeds, a colony of red wood ants affects the trees and animals around it for many metres in every direction.
Status
Not Evaluated globally, though protected in several European countries.
Red Wood Ant: common questions
How big is a red wood ant colony?
A single colony can house hundreds of thousands of workers and many queens.
How does the red wood ant defend itself?
Workers rear up and spray formic acid from the tip of the abdomen at attackers and prey.
Why is the red wood ant important to forests?
It protects trees from some pests, spreads seeds, and provides food for woodpeckers and other animals.
Where is the red wood ant found?
It lives in coniferous and mixed forests across Europe and parts of northern Asia.