Insect · Formica rufa
Discover the red wood ant
A tiny route crosses the woodland path. The pair make room for the ant.
The short answer
Wood ants have six legs and bent antennae. Their large nest mounds contain many small plant pieces. Many ants work together in a colony. Observe the mound from outside without opening it.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
Puschel is about to step forward, then stops. An ant crosses a little twig. Puschel“Someone is already on the move here.”
Flauschi stays on the path. Flauschi“Then we will leave its crossing clear.” Puschel carefully puts his paw in another empty spot.
The ant disappears into the leaves. Puschel“No big sign, but it still has right of way,” Puschel says. Flauschi smiles. Sometimes careful looking is all it takes.
What it looks like
Reddish and dark body parts, a narrow waist and bent antennae stand out. A worker has six legs.
How it lives
Wood ants live in large communities. Their nest mounds include small plant pieces such as needles and twigs.
Good to know
They eat insects and collect honeydew, the sugary liquid released by aphids. Leave nest mounds and ant routes undisturbed.
Little Wusel quiz
May we open an ant mound?
Show answer
No. It is a home. Watch from a distance and leave ant routes clear too.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
Understand step by step
How it works – simply explained
Many build together
Wood ants carry plant material home. A mound is part of their shared nest, not randomly fallen needles.
Food varies
They eat insects and collect honeydew, sugary secretions of certain insects, not morning water dew.
Read body shape
Workers have six legs, antennae and a narrow waist. Never open nests to inspect hidden residents.
References for this explanation: [1]
Explore animal sounds
These wood ants were recorded with a contact microphone. You hear amplified sounds from the ant mound, not a song like a bird’s. With an adult, listen to the original recording on the recordist’s page.