Myrmica rubra
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (September 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
| Myrmica rubra | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Two M. rubra workers
|
||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Myrmica rubra (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Myrmica rubra is a species of European ant. It is mainly red in colour, with slightly darker pigmentation on the head. The ants are polygynous and live under stones, fallen trees, and sometimes in the soil. Equipped with a stinger, these ants cannot spray formic acid like the genus Formica.
Mainly originating from central Europe, this species is currently invading Japan and North America, where they are considered a nuisance and an invasive species.
The Swedish populations of the larvae of the butterfly Maculinea alcon (Alcon Blue) use Myrmica rubra as their primary host.
[edit] External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
- Brief report from the University of Maine on the management of Myrmica rubra in the U.S., with extensive additional references
 |
This ant–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
