HYMENOPTERA > APOCRITA | Aculeata > Formicidae > Formicinae > Formicini

A medium to large, bicoloured red and black species where workers from the same colony can vary in size quite considerably from around 5mm up to nearly 10mm. They generally have a distinct dull red and brownish-black colouration with variable dark patches on the head and, to a lesser extent, the front portion of the alitrunk, known as the promesonotum. Some individuals though may have a more uniform red appearance and may even show some red on the gaster, which is usually almost totally black. Winged males are black with reddish legs. The back of the head is not heart-shaped like some other species and the area around the occiput is devoid of hairs. Only a few short hairs should be visible on the thorax.

Formica rufa is a woodland species, both mixed deciduous and coniferous, where it constructs large nests in the form of domed thatched mounds. It could be confused with other wood ants further north but, here on the south coast, there should be no confusion as the only similar species would be Formica sanguinea.

Wood Ants have very large colonies, which may have 10,000’s of workers. Colonies can be monogynous (single queen) or polygynous (multiple queens) as several nests may be connected by trails. Alate queens and males emerge early in the season with mating flights normally occurring in May or a week or so either side. The newly fertilised queen can either get herself adopted by another Formica rufa colony or look to start a new colony through temporary social parasitism of a Formica fusca nest. Workers create well-defined trails across the forest floor and collaborate with each other in order to drag larger items of prey back to their nest.