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Formica obscuripes
Face view (low res, high res);
Lateral view (low res, high res).
These are the ants that build the big mounds of small sticks and conifer needles. They cannot sting but can spray formic acid, so when you handle them it feels (and tastes) like you have vinegar on your hand. They are very good at removing forest tree pests, and relatives in European forests are protected by law. On the down side, they can tend aphids and scale insects, and may cause an increase in these pests. Their thatch mounds are a unique miniature ecosystem that is home to many other species of tiny insects.
Last updated Monday, August 07, 2006, by Lisa Ferrier
