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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 15, 2014 14:57:14 GMT
I thought I had previously posted this video, but could not find it. So here is yours truly being attacked and bitten by Formica rufa.
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
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Post by shane on Aug 15, 2014 16:16:39 GMT
You could have tried putting your hands on nest woody  and your brave too ... |
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Post by kalistes on Aug 15, 2014 17:38:58 GMT
Here's a nest that I came across a few years back. It was huge!
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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 15, 2014 18:32:06 GMT
I see the nest you filmed also had winged queens, so I guess the video was done in June Kalistes?
Shane, I have done that many times by tapping the palm of my hand on the mound. It is very soft and bouncy, but it gets a good reaction as the workers lift their gasters into defence mode and spray loads of formic acid. The smell lasts for up to an hour depending on how much acid is on your hands.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2014 0:51:16 GMT
I've noticed that these ants are rarely for sale. Infact I cannot find any shop that sells them.
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Post by Jenny on Aug 19, 2014 4:34:56 GMT
You won't because, Formica rufa (Wood Ants) are not suitable to be kept in captivity in a tank, best left in the wild.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2014 13:20:52 GMT
Then why can you buy the other formica species.
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Post by Black Ant on Aug 19, 2014 13:56:22 GMT
Then why can you buy the other formica species. Some Formica species are protected because they are rare in some countries, or not very common. Depending on the country and species, others can be sold legally as they are not endangered or protected. You can get those species for sale on the ant selling sites, or UK ants are sold here on the forum if they are common enough. Wood ants are best left in the wild or for experts to keep. |
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Post by kalistes on Aug 19, 2014 16:43:32 GMT
Yeah we have a lot of these nests near us, but I've never been tempted to try and keep them. No way I could recreate a nest like that in captivity. They are brilliant to behold in the wild Yes Wood, my vid was taken around June July if I recall. There is an area of forest trail near me with dozens of nests along the edge (where they catch a portion of the sun). This was a huge example though  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2015 3:56:35 GMT
Great vid wood and WOW what a nest! I can't believe the size of those workers, are they bigger then F.cinerea?
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Post by Wood~Ant on Apr 25, 2015 7:33:06 GMT
Great vid wood and WOW what a nest! I can't believe the size of those workers, are they bigger then F.cinerea? Formica species have both major and minor caste workers of varying sizes, as in the nests of wild Formica rufa I have seen up to 7 different sizes of ant castes including the queens. F. rufa are up to 3 times larger than cinerea for their queens and larger super-major caste. With some rufa nest mounds achieving a height of 3 to 4 feet, well over a metre, they are an impressive sight during the summer months; and they may hold over 100 queens and up to 250 to 300 thousand workers. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2015 13:30:04 GMT
Great vid wood and WOW what a nest! I can't believe the size of those workers, are they bigger then F.cinerea? Formica species have both major and minor caste workers of varying sizes, as in the nests of wild Formica rufa I have seen up to 7 different sizes of ant castes including the queens. F. rufa are up to 3 times larger than cinerea for their queens and larger super-major caste. With some rufa nest mounds achieving a height of 3 to 4 feet, well over a metre, they are an impressive sight during the summer months; and they may hold over 100 queens and up to 250 to 300 thousand workers. Wow I never realised we had native ants that large! I hope I can find a nest myself this year, I'd love to be able to see them myself. |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Apr 25, 2015 13:48:45 GMT
If you can get down into Dorset or the New Forest you will find large nests of this species. Sandy heathland close to pine forests or woods, as I have seen them hunting around Monkey World, but a lot of the land is owned by the M.O.D. so the New Forest in Hampshire is a safer bet as you're not likely to get run over by a tank.  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2015 18:31:28 GMT
If you can get down into Dorset or the New Forest you will find large nests of this species. Sandy heathland close to pine forests or woods, as I have seen them hunting around Monkey World, but a lot of the land is owned by the M.O.D. so the New Forest in Hampshire is a safer bet as you're not likely to get run over by a tank. If you go down to the woods today...... |
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