Formica Ant - (Formica spp.)

Formica Ants do not sting, but they can bite if threatened. Their greater defense comes from the formic acid they can spray from their abdomen.

Staff Writer (8/25/2017): Ants in the Formica genus have only 1 knob (bump) between the thorax and abdomen. They feed on the honeydew created by aphids (also in photo). The Formica Ant may actually act as a shepherd to the smaller aphids, moving them to an area of the plant so pull out the juices where the ant can then take the honeydew (juice) for itself.

This group of ants do not sting, but they can bite as well as spray formic acid from the tips of their abdomens. Colonies form in open grassland or under stones.

Professional exterminators should be contacted in the event of an infestation indoors.

©2005-2017 www.InsectIdentification.org. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction Permitted. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from www.InsectIdentification.org is strictly prohibited. Material presented throughout this website is for entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for scientific research or medical advice (insect bites, etc...). Please consult licensed, degreed professionals for such information. Email corrections / Comments to InsectIdentification at Gmail dot com.

Details of the:
Formica Ant

Category: Bee, Ant, Wasp and Similar
Common name: Formica Ant
Scientific Name: Formica spp.
Other Names: Black Ant, Silky Ant, Red Ant

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Hymenoptera

Family: Formicidae

Genus: Formica

Species: spp.

Size (Adult, Length): 3mm to 12mm (0.12in to 0.47in)

Identifying Colors: black; brown; red

Additional Descriptors: small, biting, colony, infest

North American Reach (Though Not Limited To*): Alabama; Alaska; Arizona; Arkansas; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming; Alberta; British Columbia; Manitoba; New Brunswick; Newfoundland and Labrador; Nova Scotia; Ontario; Prince Edward Island; Quebec; Saskatchewan; Mexico

* Keep in mind that an insect's reach is not limited by lines on a map and therefore may appear in areas/regions/states beyond those listed above.

BUGFINDER: What Kind of Bug is This...

BUGFINDER allows for a quick search of the Insect Identification database by selecting primary color, secondary color, number of legs and the territory / state in question. If only one color is present on your insect, select it again as its SECONDARY color. Remember that the more details you can offer, the better your chances of finding a match. As a rule of thumb, six legs are typical for most insects whereas spiders generally have eight legs.

Primary Color:

Secondary Color:

Number of Legs:

State / Province:

General Category: