Horse ant (Formica rufa) on a pine twig. The worker is defending an aphid that can be seen below her.

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These horse ants are most likely Formica rufa, but which species exactly they belong to is impossible to tell just by judging one individuum - Formica polyctena looks very similar and unfortunately also forms hybrid colonies. These are, however, definitely ants of the Formica rufa group of ant species.

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Size: 5119px × 3413px
Location: Eckental, Bavaria, Germany
Photo credit: © Antje Schulte - Ant Life / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: ant, european, formica, group, horse, polyctena, red, rufa, southern, symbiosis, wood