[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":392},["ShallowReactive",2],{"species-sheet-\u002Fspecies\u002Fmyrmica-rubra":3},{"species":4,"profile":260,"countryNames":299,"lookalikes":315,"similar":319,"posts":370},{"id":5,"authority":6,"colonyStructure":7,"confidence":8,"countries":11,"defense":27,"diet":30,"difficulty":33,"dryHumidity":34,"escapeRisk":10,"estimated":35,"experience":41,"extension":42,"finder":43,"founding":44,"growth":45,"guide":34,"hibernation":46,"hibernationMonths":47,"hibernationTemperature":50,"humidity":53,"image":56,"imageCredit":57,"imageHeight":61,"imageWidth":62,"interests":34,"keptSince":34,"legal":63,"lookalikes":66,"majorSize":34,"maxWorkers":70,"meta":71,"nests":72,"nuptialFlightMonths":76,"nuptialFlightTime":34,"nuptialFlightTriggers":78,"polymorphism":80,"queenSize":81,"regions":83,"relatedPosts":86,"reviewedAt":65,"scientificName":90,"sources":91,"stem":243,"subfamily":244,"temperature":245,"tribe":248,"workerSize":249,"__hash__":252,"slug":253,"genus":254,"nickname":255,"aliases":256,"tagline":259},"species\u002Fspecies\u002Fmyrmica-rubra.yml","(Linnaeus, 1758)","polygyne",{"biology":9,"husbandry":10,"nuptialFlight":9},"high","medium",[12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26],"GB","IE","FR","DE","NL","BE","CH","AT","DK","SE","NO","FI","PL","RU","IT",[28,29],"bite","sting",[31,32],"sugar","insects","5",null,[36,37,38,39,40],"humidity","hibernationTemperature","workerSize","queenSize","maxWorkers","compiled","yml",false,"semiClaustral","fast","required",[48,49],10,3,[51,52],5,8,[54,55],50,70,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fmyrmica-rubra.jpg",{"author":58,"license":59,"url":60},"Philipp Hoenle (myrmecophil)","CC0 1.0","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inaturalist.org\u002Fobservations\u002F212186081",800,1200,{"status":64,"checked":65},"free","2026-10-11",[67,68,69],"Myrmica ruginodis","Myrmica scabrinodis","Myrmica sabuleti",10000,{},[73,74,75],"ytong","naturalistic","sandwich",[52,77],9,[79],"calm","monomorphic",[51,82],7,[84,85],"europe","asia",[87,88,89],"keeping-semi-claustral-ants-the-ant-pod","how-to-hibernate-your-ants","ytong-vs-acrylic-which-is-better-for-an-ant-nest","Myrmica rubra",[92,101,107,112,117,121,125,129,133,137,141,145,149,153,157,161,166,170,174,178,182,186,190,194,198,202,206,210,214,218,222,226,231,235,239],{"type":93,"title":94,"url":95,"covers":96},"book","Collingwood (1979), Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica 8: The Formicidae (Hymenoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark, treatment of Myrmica rubra (Plazi TreatmentBank)","https:\u002F\u002Ftreatment.plazi.org\u002Fid\u002FD783E44C-4506-0884-8B7C-0DFB147D79D6",[97,98,99,100],"taxonomy","biology","distribution","nuptialFlight",{"type":102,"title":103,"url":104,"covers":105},"careSheet","formicarium.it: Scheda Myrmica rubra","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.formicarium.it\u002Fformiche-italiane\u002Fmyrmica-rubra\u002F",[106,98,100,99],"husbandry",{"type":108,"title":109,"url":110,"covers":111},"reference","Catalogue of Life: Myrmica rubra (Linnaeus, 1758), valid species in Myrmicinae, tribe Myrmicini","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.catalogueoflife.org\u002Fdata\u002Ftaxon\u002F45CRZ",[97],{"type":113,"title":114,"url":115,"covers":116},"paper","Walin, Seppä and Sundström (2001), Ecological Entomology 26: Reproductive allocation within a polygyne, polydomous colony of the ant Myrmica rubra","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1046\u002Fj.1365-2311.2001.00350.x",[98],{"type":113,"title":118,"url":119,"covers":120},"Sorvari (2017), European Journal of Entomology 114: Acceptance of alien queens by the ruby ant Myrmica rubra, gene flow by queen flow","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.14411\u002Feje.2017.028",[98],{"type":113,"title":122,"url":123,"covers":124},"Schär and Nash (2014), Journal of Evolutionary Biology 27: Evidence that microgynes of Myrmica rubra ants are social parasites that attack old host colonies","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1111\u002Fjeb.12482",[98],{"type":113,"title":126,"url":127,"covers":128},"Steiner et al. (2006), Journal of Evolutionary Biology 19: No sympatric speciation here: multiple data sources show that the ant Myrmica microrubra is not a separate species but an alternate reproductive morph of Myrmica rubra","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1111\u002Fj.1420-9101.2005.01053.x",[97,98],{"type":113,"title":130,"url":131,"covers":132},"Woyciechowski (1990), Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia 33: Mating behaviour in the ant Myrmica rubra (mating swarms over landmarks, flights in the second half of summer)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.isez.pan.krakow.pl\u002Fsystem\u002Ffiles\u002F2200\u002F33_27.pdf",[98,100],{"type":113,"title":134,"url":135,"covers":136},"Boomsma and Leusink (1981), Oecologia 50: Weather conditions during nuptial flights of four European ant species (Myrmica rubra among them)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1007\u002FBF00348045",[100],{"type":108,"title":138,"url":139,"covers":140},"Wikipedia (German): Rote Gartenameise, Myrmica rubra (summary of Seifert: sizes, range, colony size, flight season)","https:\u002F\u002Fde.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FRote_Gartenameise",[97,98,99,100],{"type":108,"title":142,"url":143,"covers":144},"Formicidae of Belgium: Myrmica rubra, description, biology and invasion of North America","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.formicidae.be\u002Fmyrmica\u002Fmymirubr.htm",[97,98,99],{"type":108,"title":146,"url":147,"covers":148},"BWARS (Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society): Myrmica rubra (habitat, polygyny, flights in August and September, range across Europe and Palaearctic Asia)","https:\u002F\u002Fbwars.com\u002Fnode\u002F1404",[98,99,100],{"type":108,"title":150,"url":151,"covers":152},"Longino: Ants of Washington, Myrmica rubra (native range and spread in North America)","https:\u002F\u002Fants.biology.utah.edu\u002Fantsofwashington\u002Fgenera\u002Fmyrmica\u002Fspecies\u002Frubra\u002Frubra.html",[99],{"type":108,"title":154,"url":155,"covers":156},"Wikipedia: Myrmica rubra","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FMyrmica_rubra",[97,98,99],{"type":108,"title":158,"url":159,"covers":160},"NatureSpot: Common Red Ant, Myrmica rubra (names, identification, mating flights in August and September)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.naturespot.org\u002Fspecies\u002Fcommon-red-ant",[97,98,100],{"type":162,"title":163,"url":164,"covers":165},"forum","formicarium.it forum: Myrmica rubra e poliginia (adoption of queens and merging of colonies)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=594",[98,106],{"type":162,"title":167,"url":168,"covers":169},"formicarium.it forum: Myrmica rubra romane (colony in a plaster nest kept in water, brood developing in the cold)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=11950",[106],{"type":162,"title":171,"url":172,"covers":173},"formicarium.it forum: Myrmica rubra anche io (colony with four queens, honey feeding, a colony lost to heat)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=1820",[106],{"type":162,"title":175,"url":176,"covers":177},"formicarium.it forum: Myrmica rubra siamo agli albori (identification and winter rest)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=5643",[106,97],{"type":102,"title":179,"url":180,"covers":181},"Ameisenhaltung.de: Artenverzeichnis, Myrmica rubra","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenhaltung.de\u002Fartenverzeichnis\u002Fentry\u002F259-myrmica-rubra\u002F",[106,98,100,97],{"type":102,"title":183,"url":184,"covers":185},"Antstore: Myrmica rubra","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antstore.net\u002Fshop\u002Fen\u002Fants\u002FAnts-from-Central-Europe\u002FMyrmica-rubra.html",[106,98,100],{"type":102,"title":187,"url":188,"covers":189},"AntKeepers: care sheet Myrmica rubra","https:\u002F\u002Fantkeepers.com\u002Fpages\u002Fcare-sheet-myrmica-rubra",[106,98,100,99],{"type":102,"title":191,"url":192,"covers":193},"Ant Shack: Myrmica rubra, European fire ant care sheet","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ant-shack.com\u002Fblogs\u002Fant-care-sheets-1\u002Fmyrmica-rubra-european-fire-ant-care-sheet",[106,98],{"type":102,"title":195,"url":196,"covers":197},"FormicaMarket: Myrmica rubra care guide","https:\u002F\u002Fformicamarket.com\u002Fen\u002Fant-database\u002Fmyrmica-rubra\u002F",[106,100],{"type":102,"title":199,"url":200,"covers":201},"ANTCUBE: Myrmica rubra, the European fire ant (top species article)","https:\u002F\u002Fantcube.shop\u002Fen\u002F2025\u002F09\u002F03\u002Fguide-for-the-top-10-ant-species-to-keep-at-home\u002F",[106,98],{"type":102,"title":203,"url":204,"covers":205},"AntsDavey: Myrmica rubra (average colony size, hibernation, nest and humidity ranges)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antsdavey.co.uk\u002Fproduct-page\u002F2x-myrmica-rubra-queen-colony-with-15-30-workers",[106],{"type":102,"title":207,"url":208,"covers":209},"AntKit: Myrmica rubra ant care sheet (PDF)","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.shopify.com\u002Fs\u002Ffiles\u002F1\u002F1031\u002F4421\u002Ffiles\u002FMyrmica-rubra.pdf",[106],{"type":102,"title":211,"url":212,"covers":213},"Antkeeping.info: Myrmica rubra","https:\u002F\u002Fantkeeping.info\u002Fants\u002Fmyrmica-rubra\u002F",[106,100],{"type":162,"title":215,"url":216,"covers":217},"Ameisenforum.de: Myrmica rubra Erfahrungen (Ytong stone standing in a water tray)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=56274",[106],{"type":162,"title":219,"url":220,"covers":221},"Ameisenforum.de: Myrmica rubra (two-queen diary by Wolfi91)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=62540",[106],{"type":162,"title":223,"url":224,"covers":225},"Formiculture: Fight in Myrmica founding colony (queens founding in a group, probably M. rubra)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.formiculture.com\u002Ftopic\u002F15999-fight-in-myrmica-founding-colony\u002F",[106,98],{"type":108,"title":227,"url":228,"covers":229},"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",[230],"legal",{"type":108,"title":232,"url":233,"covers":234},"Bundesartenschutzverordnung (BArtSchV), Anlage 1: protected species in Germany (the only ants listed are certain Formica species)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gesetze-im-internet.de\u002Fbartschv_2005\u002Fanlage_1.html",[230],{"type":108,"title":236,"url":237,"covers":238},"MITECO: Spanish Catalogue of Invasive Alien Species, arthropods","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.miteco.gob.es\u002Fen\u002Fbiodiversidad\u002Ftemas\u002Fconservacion-de-especies\u002Fespecies-exoticas-invasoras\u002Fce_eei_artropodos_nc.html",[230],{"type":108,"title":240,"url":241,"covers":242},"Japan Ministry of the Environment: list of designated invasive alien species (Invasive Alien Species Act)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.env.go.jp\u002Fnature\u002Fintro\u002F2outline\u002Flist.html",[230],"species\u002Fmyrmica-rubra","Myrmicinae",[246,247],18,25,"Myrmicini",[250,251],4,6,"ZQCqLS_XdoM3l2wgc6pNS7yCk-ZtRm2w1-hu3bPwvV8","myrmica-rubra","Myrmica","European fire ant",[257,258],"Common red ant","Ruby ant","A feisty red ant of damp meadows that lives in sprawling multi-queen colonies and defends its nest with a nettle-like sting.",{"id":261,"title":262,"aliases":256,"body":263,"description":267,"extension":270,"faqs":271,"identification":281,"language":282,"meta":283,"navigation":284,"nickname":255,"notes":285,"path":296,"seo":297,"stem":243,"tagline":259,"__hash__":298},"speciesProfiles\u002Fspecies\u002Fmyrmica-rubra.md","Myrmica Rubra",{"type":264,"value":265,"toc":266},"minimark",[],{"title":267,"searchDepth":268,"depth":268,"links":269},"",2,[],"md",[272,275,278],{"question":273,"answer":274},"Is Myrmica rubra a real fire ant?","No. The name European fire ant only refers to its painful sting, which keepers compare to a stinging nettle, and the species is only distantly related to the tropical fire ants of the genus Solenopsis. In Europe it is a common ant of damp meadows and gardens, but accidental introductions have made it a pest in parts of northeastern North America and the Pacific Northwest, where dense colonies sting people. For that reason a Myrmica rubra colony should never be released outside its native range.",{"question":276,"answer":277},"Can I add more queens to a Myrmica rubra colony?","Often yes. Myrmica rubra is polygyne, and in the wild its colonies take in extra queens and spread over several connected nests. In a study of field-collected colonies, nests without a queen accepted foreign queens more often than nests that still had one. Keepers also report that queens and workers from different nests merged with only minor scuffles, so a queenless colony is the easiest case. Acceptance is never guaranteed, though, and unrelated founding queens put together can fight.",{"question":279,"answer":280},"Why do some Myrmica rubra queens look as small as workers?","Some colonies raise microgynes, queens that are much smaller than normal and sometimes barely bigger than a worker. They were once described as a separate species, Myrmica microrubra, but genetic work showed that they belong to Myrmica rubra. Later lab experiments found that microgynes act as social parasites of old colonies: nests with microgynes raised fewer workers than nests with normal queens only.","Reddish-brown to rusty-red workers with a darker head, a shiny gaster and two sharp spines on the back of the thorax. They are easy to mix up with other Myrmica such as Myrmica ruginodis, M. scabrinodis and M. sabuleti, so a sure species ID usually needs a microscope, and the queen is only a little bigger than a worker.","en",{},true,[286,289,292,294],{"kind":287,"text":288},"tip","Keep the nest damp all the time. Keepers favor plaster nests for this species, and a Ytong block that dries out too fast does better standing in a tray of water, so the ants can choose between a wet bottom and a drier top.",{"kind":290,"text":291},"watchOut","Heat and dryness are what kill this species. A warm room or a nest that dries out can cause sudden die-offs, so keep the colony in the coolest spot of the home and never let the water reservoir run empty.",{"kind":287,"text":293},"A colony that has lost its queen often accepts a new one, even from another nest, and keepers have merged colonies with only minor scuffles, so a queenless nest is not a lost cause.",{"kind":290,"text":295},"Founding queens hunt outside the nest and need food from the start, and young queens are rarely found at the flights: the ones seen hunting often already belong to a nest, so catching them is not recommended. That is why keepers usually start with a small colony instead of a single queen.","\u002Fspecies\u002Fmyrmica-rubra",{"description":267},"OFo_W1PBvwKInoqD2M8gJPcSFENb-s97woYKrBUHQFA",[300,301,302,303,304,305,306,307,308,309,310,311,312,313,314],"Austria","Belgium","Denmark","Finland","France","Germany","Ireland","Italy","Netherlands","Norway","Poland","Russia","Sweden","Switzerland","United Kingdom",[316,317,318],{"name":67,"slug":34},{"name":68,"slug":34},{"name":69,"slug":34},[320,340,355],{"slug":321,"scientificName":322,"genus":323,"nickname":267,"aliases":324,"tagline":325,"image":326,"experience":41,"guide":34,"difficulty":33,"workerSize":327,"majorSize":77,"queenSize":328,"temperature":330,"hibernation":46,"hibernationTemperature":333,"hibernationBand":334,"sizeClass":10,"founding":335,"colonyStructure":336,"regions":337},"camponotus-fallax","Camponotus fallax","Camponotus",[],"A shy, slender tree dweller that freezes when startled, nests in dead branches and keeps its colony small.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-fallax.jpg",[250,52],[52,329],11,[331,332],21,27,[51,48],"cold","claustral","monogyne",[84,338,339],"northAfrica","middleEast",{"slug":341,"scientificName":342,"genus":343,"nickname":344,"aliases":345,"tagline":347,"image":348,"experience":41,"guide":34,"difficulty":33,"workerSize":349,"majorSize":251,"queenSize":350,"temperature":351,"hibernation":46,"hibernationTemperature":353,"hibernationBand":334,"sizeClass":10,"founding":335,"colonyStructure":336,"regions":354},"colobopsis-truncata","Colobopsis truncata","Colobopsis","European gate-keeper ant",[346],"Doorkeeper ant","A shy tree dweller whose soldiers, and the queen herself, seal the nest door with flat, plug-shaped heads.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcolobopsis-truncata.jpg",[49,51],[251,52],[331,352],28,[51,48],[84,339],{"slug":356,"scientificName":357,"genus":358,"nickname":267,"aliases":359,"tagline":360,"image":361,"experience":362,"guide":363,"difficulty":33,"workerSize":364,"majorSize":34,"queenSize":365,"temperature":366,"hibernation":46,"hibernationTemperature":367,"hibernationBand":334,"sizeClass":10,"founding":335,"colonyStructure":368,"regions":369},"formica-cinerea","Formica cinerea","Formica",[],"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",[250,52],[52,329],[331,332],[51,52],"facultative",[84,85],[371,378,385],{"id":372,"title":373,"description":374,"image":375,"categoryText":376,"path":377},"blog\u002Fkeeping-semi-claustral-ants-the-ant-pod.md","Keeping Semi-Claustral Ants - The Ant Pod","Semi-claustral queens need food from day one. Lynn and Jake share what they learned founding Manica rubida and Myrmica rubra colonies, and how to set them up.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fthe_antpod_semi_claustral_ants_44.jpg","Podcasts","\u002Fkeeping-semi-claustral-ants-the-ant-pod",{"id":379,"title":380,"description":381,"image":382,"categoryText":383,"path":384},"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":386,"title":387,"description":388,"image":389,"categoryText":390,"path":391},"blog\u002Fytong-vs-acrylic-which-is-better-for-an-ant-nest.md","Ytong vs Acrylic - Which Is Better For An Ant Nest?","In this article, we’re going to talk about two of the most popular types of ant nests: acrylic nests and Ytong nests! Let's compare them!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_ytong_vs_acrylic.png","Product Comparisons","\u002Fytong-vs-acrylic-which-is-better-for-an-ant-nest",1791900226357]