Black-backed meadow ant  (Formica pratensis)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

This is a large ‘wood ant’, and resembles the more common southern wood ant Formica rufa. The thorax shows some red colouration, but generally this species is much darker than its related species. The abdomen is dark brown to black and the whole insect is covered in fine hairs.

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