Southern wood ant
Southern wood ant or horse ant is a common insect in coniferous forests. They live in huge, organised groups, colonies, anthills. In most cases they create their nest from pine-needles but it may contain other plant debris as well.
Southern wood ant is also called biting ant. Due to their small size their bite is not dangerous but one is advised against sitting on their nest. If several members of the disturbed colony bite you simultaneously, then the itching feeling of the injected formic acid can be quite unpleasant. They can squirt the secretion that contains 50 to 60 % of formic acid as far as 30 cm.
Every colony contains one queen that lays the eggs. Most ants are female workers (4 to 9 mm). These build the nest, search for nutriments, keep the nest clean, fight against the enemy and nurse the larvae.
Did you know it?
Small ants can lift objects that are twenty times heavier than their own body.
