Red forest ant: forest nurse, home pest
The most common inhabitant of deciduous and coniferous forests is the red forest ant. Anthills can be found in different parts of the forest. Their main occupation is the extraction of pupae of harmful insects to feed their larvae.
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What does a red forest ant look like: photo
Description of red ants
Name: Red Forest Ant
Latin: rufous formicaClass: Insects - Insecta
Squad: Hymenoptera - Hymenoptera
Family: Ants - Formicidae
 | Habitats: | coniferous, mixed and deciduous forests |
 | Dangerous for: | small insects |
 | Means of destruction: | do not need, are useful orderlies |
Red ant: photo.
Coloration reddish-red. Belly and head black. The queens are darker in color. The males are black. They have reddish legs. The size of worker ants varies between 4-9 mm, and males and queens - from 9 to 11 mm.
Whiskers of females and workers consist of 12 segments. Males have 13 of them. Pronotum with 30 bristles, and lower part of head with long hairs. The jaws of males are strong and long.
On half of the belly is a poisonous gland. She is surrounded by a powerful muscular bag. When contracting, the poison is released by about 25 cm. Half of the poison is formic acid, which helps the insect hunt and defend itself.
Habitat of red ants
Red ants prefer coniferous, mixed and deciduous forests. Typically, these forests are at least 40 years old. Sometimes an anthill can be found in an open meadow and the edge. Insects live in:
- Austria;
- Belarus;
- Bulgaria;
- Great Britain;
- Hungary
- Denmark;
- Germany;
- Spain;
- Italy
- Latvia;
- Lithuania;
- Moldova;
- the Netherlands;
- Norway
- Poland;
- Russia;
- Romania;
- Serbia
- Slovakia;
- Turkey;
- Ukraine;
- Finland;
- France;
- Montenegro
- Czech Republic;
- Sweden;
- Switzerland;
- Estonia.
red ant diet
Insect food is varied. The diet includes insects, larvae, caterpillars, arachnids. Ants are big fans of honeydew, which is secreted by aphids and scale insects, honeydew, fruit and tree juice.
A large family can collect about 0,5 kg of honeydew during the season. The colony comes together to transport large prey to the nest.
Lifestyle of red ants
Between themselves, ants exchange chemical signals that help to recognize each other.
Life cycle
Winged males and future queens appear in the spring. In June, they get out of the anthill. Insects can travel a long distance. When another nest is found, the female is placed on the ground.
Mating occurs with several males. After that, the males die. The females gnaw off their wings.
Next comes the creation of a new family or return to the nest. Egg laying during the day can reach 10 pieces. Larvae are formed in 14 days. During this period, they molt 4 times.
After the end of the molt, the transformation into a nymph occurs. She creates a cocoon around herself. After 1,5 months, young individuals appear.
How to get rid of red ants in the apartment
Indoors, these beneficial insects rarely enter. But in search of food, they can also go to people. To get rid of them, you need:
- use poisons;
- set traps;
- apply insecticides.
Full instructions on how to get rid of ants in a residential building - at the link.
Conclusion
Insects regulate the number of forest parasites. Red ants are real orderlies. Representatives of a large anthill clear 1 hectare of forest. They also improve soil quality and spread plant seeds.
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