Myrmecophile-hosts
Guides
Ecitonini
army ants
Ecitonini is a tribe of army ants within the subfamily Dorylinae, comprising highly social, nomadic predators of tropical forests. Colonies contain hundreds of thousands to over a million workers that conduct coordinated raids to capture arthropod prey. The tribe exhibits a distinctive two-phase colony cycle alternating between nomadic and stationary periods. Soldiers possess enlarged, sickle-shaped mandibles specialized for defense and prey handling rather than feeding.
Formica
wood ants, mound ants, field ants
Formica is a large and ecologically significant genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae, commonly known as wood ants, mound ants, or field ants. The genus includes species with diverse life histories, ranging from free-living colony founders to facultative and obligate social parasites. Many species construct conspicuous earthen mounds that can reach several feet in diameter and height, while others nest in dead wood. Formica ants are notable for their complex social structures, including both single-queen (monogynous) and multiple-queen (polygynous) colonies, with social organization sometimes controlled by supergenes. The genus serves as host for specialized slave-making ants in the genus Polyergus and supports diverse communities of myrmecophilous organisms.