Formica sanguinea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Formica sanguinea | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Genus: | Formica |
| Species: | F. sanguinea |
| Binomial name | |
| Formica sanguinea Latreille, 1798 |
|
Formica sanguinea is a species of slavemaker ant. It ranges from Central and Northern Europe through Russia to Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula. This species is colored red and black with workers up to 7 mm long.[1] Its common name comes from their practice of enslaving other species of ants.
A colony of F. sanguinea can live either by itself or as a social parasite on certain other Formica species. In the latter case, a fertilized F. sanguinea queen will enter the nest of the host ant species and kill their queen. She then takes advantage of the workers who tend to her and her brood. F. sanguinea workers will also raid nearby nests, stealing larvae and pupae to become future workers for F. sanguinea.[2]
[edit] See also
- Ravoux's slavemaker ant (Myrmoxenus ravouxi)
[edit] References
- ^ Sonobe, Rikio; Onoyama, Keiichi. "Formica sanguinea". http://ant.edb.miyakyo-u.ac.jp/E/Taxo/F80701.html. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
- ^ "Wood Ants". 1999. http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/tfl.woodants.html. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
[edit] External links
Media related to Formica sanguinea at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to  |
This ant-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
