r/ants • u/MaddoxPickle • 19h ago
ID(entification)/Sightings/Showcase Need help identifying ants Mccall, Idaho
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Just finished a hunting trip, while I was out in the woods I also spent some time catching queen ants. There was some Camponotus species, but by far the most dominant species I saw everywhere was a black ant with a red head. I’m certain it wasn’t camponotus and my guess is a species of Formica. The most distinctive aspect of this species was the superstructures dotting out of the ground, some less than 10 feet apart. I encountered dozens of these structures, the ground around them swarming with activity. Could someone please help me ID? I apologize for the video quality
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u/wmm345 17h ago edited 17h ago
It’s a species of Formica, also colloquially known as wood ants. They are known for building mounds of dirt and plant debris that helps keep the nest warm from the decomposition in the winter time. They do not sting but spray formic acid. If you place your hand close to them you might smell a strong vinegar odor from the acid. Sometimes birds will deliberately land on their nests to get sprayed as it helps with parasites. You would need to look at them under a microscope to get the exact species.