FORMICA RUFA. O 



Formica lugubris, Zett. Ins. Lapp. 449. 6 $ . 

 Formica truncicola, Foerst. Hym. Stud. Form. 21. 

 Formica polyctena, Foerst. Hym. Stud. Form. p. 15. 4. 



Schenck, Beschr. Nass. Ameis. p. 28. 

 Formica piuiphila, Schenck, Beschr. Nass. Ameis. p. 28. 



Female. Length 4^-5 hues. — Head and thorax rufo-ferruginous ; 

 the antennae, the head above their insertion, the middle of the 

 clypeus, more or less, and the mesothorax, fuscous and sub- 

 opake ; the scutellum and abdomen shining black ; the tibiae, 

 tarsi, and tips of the femora rufo-fuscous ; the femora, scale of 

 the petiole and base of the abdomen rufo-ferruginous ; the 

 wings white-hyaline, more or less tinted with brown towards 

 their base. 



Worker major. Length 3^ lines. — Rufo-ferruginous ; the an- 

 tenna?, the head above their insertion, the pro- and mesothorax 

 more or less above, the legs and abdomen, nigro-fuscous and 

 subopake ; the frontal area shining ; the articulations of the 

 legs usually ferruginous ; the scale of the petiole subrotundate, 

 slightly notched above, or sometimes obtusely emarginate. 



Worker minor. Length 2-2| lines. — Frequently of a darker 

 hue than the large worker, but sometimes of the same colour. 



Male. Length 4i lines. — Nigro-fuscous, with the legs rufous ; 

 the base of the femora, the tibiae and tarsi more or less fuscous ; 

 wings as in the female. 



This species, which is known popularly as the Wood-ant, the 

 Horse-ant, and Hill-ant, is found in all parts of the country ; it 

 sometimes avails itself of the hollow trunk of a tree, in which 

 it constructs its heaped-up nest. In some colonies individuals 

 are to be found with the head and thorax blood-red ; these are, no 

 doubt, recently developed specimens, but they so closely resemble 

 examples of F. sanguinea, that, without careful examination, they 

 might be mistaken for that species. The nests of F. rufa are 

 resorted to by numerous species of Coleoptera, some of which, 

 belonging to the Brach elytra, may be in some way conducive to 

 the welfare of the communities — in all probability yielding secre- 

 tions which serve as food to the young brood. I have not de- 

 tected Aphides in the nests of this species, but the workers may 

 be commonly observed in constant attendance upon them, on 

 plants and shrubs in woods near to their habitations. Aphides 

 are frequently met with in the nests of F. flava. In the nests 

 of F. rufa may also occasionally be found communities of the 

 allied genus Myrmica : M. nitidula has been taken on several 

 occasions ; and I have met with M. Icevinodis living in perfect 

 harmony with F. rufa in the heart of the nest. 



