Wood ants-Formica rufa-defending their nest by spraying formic acid. The formic acid is used to deter any attacking predators. Dorset England UK GB.

---

Wood ants-Formica rufa-defending their nest by spraying formic acid. The formic acid is used to deter any predators that attack the nest and is sprayed in jets from their abdomens. The nest has been built inside and under an old tree stump. They are also known as red wood ants, southern wood ants and horse ants. Dorset England UK GB.

---

Size: 3328px × 4992px
Photo credit: © www.pqpictures.co.uk / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: ., abdomen, acid, ant, ants, colony, defence, defending, dorset, formic, formica, hill, history, horse, insect, insects, jet, jets, masses, mechanism, multitude, natural, nest, numbers, predation, predator, protect, red, rufa, rusa, southern, spray, spraying, squirt, swarms, uk, weight, wood