Formica-sanguinea-group

Guides

  • Formica subintegra

    Formica subintegra is an obligate slave-making ant that practices dulosis, a form of social parasitism where the species depends entirely on captured workers of closely related host species for domestic tasks. Colonies consist of 70-90% enslaved workers, primarily from the Formica fusca group. The species exhibits relatively frequent nest relocations, moving toward areas of higher host density to improve raiding success. Unlike more specialized obligate parasites, F. subintegra retains the ability to recover degenerated behaviors when isolated from hosts, including foraging, nest excavation, and trophallaxis.