Red wood ant / Worker - Formica rufa

Distribution and habitat

The red Wood ant (Formica rufa) can be found throughout Central and Northern Europe, North America and northern Asia. It prefers sunny locations on the edges of deciduous and coniferous forests, where it builds the nest.
Formica rufa has a body length of 5-7 mm (worker) and belongs to the protected species .

Way of life and characteristic features

Wood ants are an important part of the forest ecosystem. They help to spread seeds and aerate the earth.
They also eat forest pests and are themselves a basic food resource for birds and other animals. Wood ants live in a symbiotic relationship with aphids from which they gather sugar-like excretions (honeydew).
In return they protect the aphids from enemies.