[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":402},["ShallowReactive",2],{"species-sheet-\u002Fspecies\u002Fformica-sanguinea":3},{"species":4,"profile":267,"countryNames":306,"lookalikes":322,"similar":325,"posts":380},{"id":5,"authority":6,"colonyStructure":7,"confidence":8,"countries":11,"defense":27,"diet":30,"difficulty":33,"dryHumidity":34,"escapeRisk":9,"estimated":35,"experience":40,"extension":41,"finder":42,"founding":43,"growth":44,"guide":34,"hibernation":45,"hibernationMonths":46,"hibernationTemperature":49,"humidity":52,"image":55,"imageCredit":56,"imageHeight":60,"imageWidth":61,"interests":34,"keptSince":34,"legal":62,"lookalikes":65,"majorSize":34,"maxWorkers":68,"meta":69,"nests":70,"nuptialFlightMonths":74,"nuptialFlightTime":34,"nuptialFlightTriggers":34,"polymorphism":76,"queenSize":77,"regions":80,"relatedPosts":83,"reviewedAt":64,"scientificName":87,"sources":88,"stem":252,"subfamily":253,"temperature":254,"tribe":257,"workerSize":258,"__hash__":259,"slug":260,"genus":261,"nickname":262,"aliases":263,"tagline":266},"species\u002Fspecies\u002Fformica-sanguinea.yml","Latreille, 1798","facultative",{"biology":9,"husbandry":10,"nuptialFlight":10},"high","medium",[12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26],"GB","FR","BE","NL","DE","CH","AT","PL","DK","SE","NO","FI","RU","ES","JP",[28,29],"bite","acid",[31,32],"sugar","insects","6",null,[36,37,38,39],"temperature","hibernationTemperature","nuptialFlightMonths","maxWorkers","compiled","yml",false,"parasitic","fast","required",[47,48],10,3,[50,51],5,8,[53,54],50,60,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fformica-sanguinea.jpg",{"author":57,"license":58,"url":59},"Philipp Hoenle (myrmecophil)","CC0 1.0","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inaturalist.org\u002Fobservations\u002F165747094",800,1200,{"status":63,"checked":64},"restricted","2026-10-11",[66,67],"Formica rufa","Polyergus rufescens",5000,{},[71,72,73],"ytong","naturalistic","sandwich",[75,51],6,"monomorphic",[78,79],9,11,[81,82],"europe","asia",[84,85,86],"keeping-slave-maker-ants-the-ant-pod","how-to-hibernate-your-ants","how-to-make-a-ytong-nest","Formica sanguinea",[89,95,103,109,113,117,121,125,129,133,137,141,145,150,154,158,163,167,171,175,179,183,187,191,195,199,203,207,211,215,219,223,228,232,236,240,244,248],{"type":90,"title":91,"url":92,"covers":93},"reference","AntCat: Formica sanguinea Latreille, 1798 (the catalog of the ants of the world)","https:\u002F\u002Fantcat.org\u002Fcatalog\u002F437773",[94],"taxonomy",{"type":96,"title":97,"url":98,"covers":99},"book","Collingwood (1979), Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica 8: The Formicidae (Hymenoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark, treatment of Formica sanguinea (Plazi TreatmentBank)","https:\u002F\u002Ftreatment.plazi.org\u002Fid\u002F7A1AA6D5F2E44E7878EA9B03CF9208A3",[94,100,101,102],"biology","distribution","nuptialFlight",{"type":104,"title":105,"url":106,"covers":107},"paper","Mori and Le Moli (1998), Journal of Insect Behavior 11: Mating behavior and colony founding of the slave-making ant Formica sanguinea","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1023\u002FA:1021048024219",[100,102,108],"husbandry",{"type":104,"title":110,"url":111,"covers":112},"Haapaniemi and Pamilo (2012), Molecular Ecology 21: Reproductive conflicts in polyandrous and polygynous ant Formica sanguinea","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1111\u002Fj.1365-294x.2011.05386.x",[100],{"type":104,"title":114,"url":115,"covers":116},"Włodarczyk and Szczepaniak (2017), Journal of Insect Physiology 96: Facultative slave-making ants Formica sanguinea label their slaves with own recognition cues instead of employing the strategy of chemical mimicry","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1016\u002Fj.jinsphys.2016.10.016",[100],{"type":104,"title":118,"url":119,"covers":120},"Włodarczyk (2016), Insectes Sociaux 63: Discriminatory abilities of facultative slave-making ants and their slaves","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1007\u002Fs00040-016-0493-z",[100],{"type":104,"title":122,"url":123,"covers":124},"Romiguier and colleagues (2018), BMC Evolutionary Biology 18: Phylogenomics of palearctic Formica species suggests a single origin of temporary parasitism and gives insights to the evolutionary pathway toward slave-making behaviour","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1186\u002Fs12862-018-1159-4",[94,100],{"type":104,"title":126,"url":127,"covers":128},"Borowiec and colleagues (2021), PNAS 118: The evolution of social parasitism in Formica ants revealed by a global phylogeny","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1073\u002Fpnas.2026029118",[94,100],{"type":90,"title":130,"url":131,"covers":132},"BWARS: Formica sanguinea (blood-red slave-making ant)","https:\u002F\u002Fbwars.com\u002Fant\u002Fformicidae\u002Fformicinae\u002Fformica-sanguinea",[94,100,101,102],{"type":90,"title":134,"url":135,"covers":136},"Catalogue of Life: Formica sanguinea Latreille, 1798","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.catalogueoflife.org\u002Fdata\u002Ftaxon\u002F6JGLJ",[94],{"type":90,"title":138,"url":139,"covers":140},"GBIF: Formica sanguinea Latreille, 1798, occurrence records by country","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gbif.org\u002Fspecies\u002F1315006",[101],{"type":90,"title":142,"url":143,"covers":144},"AntFlights: records of Formica sanguinea in Hungary, Belgium, Spain and Norway, 2019 to 2024","https:\u002F\u002Fantflights.com\u002F?q=Formica%20sanguinea",[102],{"type":146,"title":147,"url":148,"covers":149},"careSheet","formicarium.it: Scheda Formica sanguinea","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fformiche-italiane\u002Fformica-sanguinea\u002F",[108,100,102],{"type":146,"title":151,"url":152,"covers":153},"Antstore: Formica (Raptiformica) sanguinea","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antstore.net\u002Fshop\u002Fen\u002Fants\u002FAnts-from-Central-Europe\u002FFormica-Raptiformica-sanguinea.html",[108,100,102],{"type":146,"title":155,"url":156,"covers":157},"Ameisenhaltung.de: Artenverzeichnis, Formica sanguinea","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenhaltung.de\u002Fartenverzeichnis\u002Fentry\u002F215-formica-sanguinea\u002F",[108,100,102],{"type":159,"title":160,"url":161,"covers":162},"forum","Ameisenforum.de: Artbeschreibungen und Steckbriefe, Formica sanguinea (swarming period, colony size, founding)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Fartbeschreibungen-steckbriefe\u002Fformica-sanguinea-t30392.html",[108,100,102],{"type":146,"title":164,"url":165,"covers":166},"FormicaMarket: Formica sanguinea care guide","https:\u002F\u002Fformicamarket.com\u002Fen\u002Fant-database\u002Fformica-sanguinea\u002F",[108,102],{"type":146,"title":168,"url":169,"covers":170},"Fourmiculture: Formica sanguinea colony with queen and workers","https:\u002F\u002Ffourmiculture.com\u002Fen\u002Fproduct\u002Fformica-sanguinea\u002F",[108,102],{"type":146,"title":172,"url":173,"covers":174},"Ants R Us: Formica sanguinea queen with fusca slaves (starter kit)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antsrus.com\u002Fproduct-page\u002Fformica-sanguinea-queen-with-10-20-fusca-slaves-starter-kit",[108],{"type":146,"title":176,"url":177,"covers":178},"Antkeeping.info: Formica sanguinea","https:\u002F\u002Fantkeeping.info\u002Fants\u002FFormica-sanguinea\u002F",[100,102],{"type":90,"title":180,"url":181,"covers":182},"Wikipedia: Formica sanguinea","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FFormica_sanguinea",[94,100],{"type":159,"title":184,"url":185,"covers":186},"Ameisenforum.de: Starthilfe bei der Haltung von Formica sanguinea (host brood, which hosts, nest size)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Fstarthilfe-bei-der-haltung-von-formica-sanguinea-t42307.html",[108],{"type":159,"title":188,"url":189,"covers":190},"Ameisenforum.de: Formica sanguinea keeping report Imago (queen with fusca workers, winter rest in a test tube)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Fformica-raptiformica-sanguinea-haltungserfahrungen-t36231.html",[108],{"type":159,"title":192,"url":193,"covers":194},"Ameisenforum.de: Formica sanguinea keeping report Gabriel (colony lost in winter rest after the water tank ran dry)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Fformica\u002Fgabriels-formica-sanguinea-haltungsbericht-t49738.html",[108],{"type":159,"title":196,"url":197,"covers":198},"Ameisenforum.de: Formica sanguinea keeping report kkloete (queen whose brood never developed)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Fformica-raptiformica-sanguinea-haltungsbericht-t44877.html",[108],{"type":159,"title":200,"url":201,"covers":202},"Ameisenforum.de: Raptiformica sanguinea keeping report Leander (queen introduced to fusca pupae and pale workers)","https:\u002F\u002Fameisenforum.de\u002Fraptiformica-sanguinea-haltungsbericht-t62805.html",[108],{"type":159,"title":204,"url":205,"covers":206},"Ameisenforum.de: Formica sanguinea raid on a Formica fusca colony in a formicarium","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Ftopic56620.html",[100,108],{"type":159,"title":208,"url":209,"covers":210},"formicarium.it: Diario di allevamento di Formica sanguinea (Luca.B, 2013, winter rest in a cellar)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?f=11&t=6049",[108],{"type":159,"title":212,"url":213,"covers":214},"formicarium.it: Formica sanguinea in Lombardia (lone queen found under a stone, Formica cunicularia helpers, gasbeton nest)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?f=11&t=3722",[108],{"type":159,"title":216,"url":217,"covers":218},"Antstore forum: Formica fusca and Formica sanguinea journal (three sister queens started with fusca pupae, 2012)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antstore.net\u002Fforum\u002Fpost142118.html",[108],{"type":146,"title":220,"url":221,"covers":222},"Ant Shack: Formica sanguinea encyclopedia entry","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ant-shack.com\u002Fpages\u002Fencyclopedia-entry\u002Fformica-sanguinea",[108],{"type":90,"title":224,"url":225,"covers":226},"EU list of invasive alien species of Union concern (Implementing Regulation 2016\u002F1141, consolidated)","https:\u002F\u002Feur-lex.europa.eu\u002Feli\u002Freg_impl\u002F2016\u002F1141\u002Foj",[227],"legal",{"type":90,"title":229,"url":230,"covers":231},"Czech Republic: Decree 395\u002F1992 Sb., Annex III, list of specially protected animals (\"mravenec - Formica spp.\": every Formica species is protected as endangered)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.zakonyprolidi.cz\u002Fcs\u002F1992-395",[227],{"type":90,"title":233,"url":234,"covers":235},"Czech Republic: Act 114\u002F1992 Sb. on nature and landscape protection, section 50 (forbids catching, keeping, transporting and selling specially protected animals without an exemption)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.zakonyprolidi.cz\u002Fcs\u002F1992-114",[227],{"type":90,"title":237,"url":238,"covers":239},"Bundesartenschutzverordnung (BArtSchV), Anlage 1: protected species in Germany","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gesetze-im-internet.de\u002Fbartschv_2005\u002Fanlage_1.html",[227],{"type":90,"title":241,"url":242,"covers":243},"Poland: Regulation of the Minister of the Environment of 16 December 2016 on species protection of animals (Dz.U. 2016 item 2183; among the Formica ants only six mound-building wood ants are listed)","https:\u002F\u002Feli.gov.pl\u002Feli\u002FDU\u002F2016\u002F2183\u002Fogl",[227],{"type":90,"title":245,"url":246,"covers":247},"MITECO: Spanish Catalogue of Invasive Alien Species, arthropods","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.miteco.gob.es\u002Fes\u002Fbiodiversidad\u002Ftemas\u002Fconservacion-de-especies\u002Fespecies-exoticas-invasoras\u002Fce_eei_artropodos_nc.html",[227],{"type":90,"title":249,"url":250,"covers":251},"Japan Ministry of the Environment: designated invasive alien species under the Invasive Alien Species Act","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.env.go.jp\u002Fnature\u002Fintro\u002F2outline\u002Flist.html",[227],"species\u002Fformica-sanguinea","Formicinae",[255,256],21,26,"Formicini",[75,78],"RMDsEHSw29wBuYVl_zhx2Q_s2F36oJJColGWye6a85s","formica-sanguinea","Formica","Blood-red ant",[264,265],"Blood-red slave-making ant","Robber ant","A bold red-and-black raider that steals the pupae of other Formica to raise as helpers, and a project for keepers who already know the basics.",{"id":268,"title":269,"aliases":263,"body":270,"description":274,"extension":277,"faqs":278,"identification":288,"language":289,"meta":290,"navigation":291,"nickname":262,"notes":292,"path":303,"seo":304,"stem":252,"tagline":266,"__hash__":305},"speciesProfiles\u002Fspecies\u002Fformica-sanguinea.md","Formica Sanguinea",{"type":271,"value":272,"toc":273},"minimark",[],{"title":274,"searchDepth":275,"depth":275,"links":276},"",2,[],"md",[279,282,285],{"question":280,"answer":281},"How does a Formica sanguinea queen start a new colony?","A single queen rarely manages it alone. In the wild, colonies spread by splitting, or a young queen enters a nest of a fusca-group host, takes over part of the brood, and the host queen is destroyed. In laboratory trials a queen founded a colony independently only when several queens were housed together, and taking over or being adopted by young host colonies worked better than by mature ones. This is why keepers start queens with host pupae and young host workers.",{"question":283,"answer":284},"Does Formica sanguinea need its slaves to survive?","No. It is a facultative slave-maker, so a colony can live without helpers, and where it has wiped out every other Formica nearby, pure sanguinea colonies are found, usually with many small workers acting as nurses. In mixed colonies the helpers are fully accepted, because the sanguinea workers give them their own scent as a recognition label.",{"question":286,"answer":287},"What happens to the host colony during a Formica sanguinea raid?","Scouts find the target nest, then the raiders carry off the pupae, some of which are raised as helpers and some eaten. Workers that fight back are killed, while those that stay still are often ignored. In a formicarium a small host colony can be gone by the next morning, so keepers connect only colonies they can spare.","Large workers with a bright red front of the head and thorax, a dark brownish-black gaster and a distinct notch in the middle of the clypeus. The notch separates them from the red wood ants, and Polyergus rufescens, another red slave-maker, has long sickle-shaped jaws, while sanguinea has broad heads and mandibles.","en",{},true,[293,296,298,301],{"kind":294,"text":295},"tip","Use Formica fusca as the host: it shares the open, dry habitat of this species and is the one shops and most keepers use. Formica cunicularia also works, but Camponotus, red wood ants and all Myrmicinae are not suitable hosts.",{"kind":294,"text":297},"When you start a queen, give her host pupae and freshly hatched, still pale workers. Keepers report that adult workers from a foreign nest and older, darker workers are often killed, while pupae are accepted.",{"kind":299,"text":300},"watchOut","A raid can wipe out a small host colony in a single night, and formic acid can build up in sealed containers and kill the helpers. Connect a host colony only if you can spare it, use a roomy, ventilated arena where you can cut the link at any time, and stay nearby while it happens.",{"kind":299,"text":302},"Think about space before you start. Keepers report a slow start followed by explosive growth once the colony passes a few hundred workers, and the workers get pushier as they run out of room. Plan a much bigger arena early, and decide what you will do with a very large colony.","\u002Fspecies\u002Fformica-sanguinea",{"description":274},"wYk2HrowoL-L60iKjHgpaStiVwDnsvp_k7e6pijK4sI",[307,308,309,310,311,312,313,314,315,316,317,318,319,320,321],"Austria","Belgium","Denmark","Finland","France","Germany","Japan","Netherlands","Norway","Poland","Russia","Spain","Sweden","Switzerland","United Kingdom",[323,324],{"name":66,"slug":34},{"name":67,"slug":34},[326,344,361],{"slug":327,"scientificName":328,"genus":261,"nickname":274,"aliases":329,"tagline":330,"image":331,"experience":332,"guide":333,"difficulty":334,"workerSize":335,"majorSize":34,"queenSize":337,"temperature":338,"hibernation":45,"hibernationTemperature":340,"hibernationBand":341,"sizeClass":10,"founding":342,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":343},"formica-cinerea","Formica cinerea",[],"Big, fast and nervous: a formic acid sprayer that can reach 10,000 workers.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fformica_cinerea_colony_into_ytong_nest_2.jpeg","firstHand","how-to-care-for-formica-cinerea","5",[336,51],4,[51,79],[255,339],27,[50,51],"cold","claustral",[81,82],{"slug":345,"scientificName":346,"genus":261,"nickname":347,"aliases":348,"tagline":351,"image":352,"experience":40,"guide":34,"difficulty":353,"workerSize":354,"majorSize":34,"queenSize":356,"temperature":357,"hibernation":45,"hibernationTemperature":359,"hibernationBand":341,"sizeClass":10,"founding":342,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":360},"formica-fusca","Formica fusca","Silky ant",[349,350],"Dusky ant","Large black ant","A shy, quick-footed black ant that forgives beginner mistakes and is the classic host of slave-making ants.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fformica-fusca.jpg","3",[336,355],7,[51,47],[255,358],25,[50,51],[81,82],{"slug":362,"scientificName":363,"genus":364,"nickname":365,"aliases":366,"tagline":368,"image":369,"experience":40,"guide":34,"difficulty":370,"workerSize":371,"majorSize":34,"queenSize":372,"temperature":374,"hibernation":45,"hibernationTemperature":376,"hibernationBand":341,"sizeClass":10,"founding":43,"colonyStructure":377,"regions":378},"lasius-fuliginosus","Lasius fuliginosus","Lasius","Jet black ant",[367],"Jet ant","A glossy black, sweet-smelling carton builder that cannot start a colony without borrowing another ant's workers.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Flasius-fuliginosus.jpg","7",[336,75],[75,373],6.5,[375,256],20,[50,51],"monogyne",[81,379,82],"middleEast",[381,388,395],{"id":382,"title":383,"description":384,"image":385,"categoryText":386,"path":387},"blog\u002Fkeeping-slave-maker-ants-the-ant-pod.md","Keeping Slavemaker Ants - The Ant Pod","Keeping slavemaker ants: choosing the right host species, introducing the parasitic queen, brood boosting and the ethics of sacrificing host colonies.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fthe_ant_pod_keeping_slave_maker_ants.jpg","Podcasts","\u002Fkeeping-slave-maker-ants-the-ant-pod",{"id":389,"title":390,"description":391,"image":392,"categoryText":393,"path":394},"blog\u002Fhow-to-hibernate-your-ants.md","How To Hibernate Your Ants - Hibernation Tutorial","In this guide, we’re going to talk about hibernation: What is it? Why do ants need hibernation? Should I hibernate my ants? Let's see!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_hibernation_guide.png","Ant Keeping Basics","\u002Fhow-to-hibernate-your-ants",{"id":396,"title":397,"description":398,"image":399,"categoryText":400,"path":401},"blog\u002Fhow-to-make-a-ytong-nest.md","How To Make a Ytong Nest - Ant Keeping Tutorial","In this tutorial, you will learn how to make a Ytong nest for your ant colonies! This is one of the best nest types for many ant species!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_ytong_ant_nest_tutorial.png","Tutorials & D.I.Y.","\u002Fhow-to-make-a-ytong-nest",1791900224939]