Palaearctic-distribution

Guides

• Myrmica rubra

  European fire ant, common red ant

  Myrmica rubra is a widespread Palaearctic ant species native to Europe, now invasive in parts of North America and Asia. Workers are reddish-brown with darker heads, 3.5–5.5 mm in length. The species exhibits complex social structure with both macrogynes and microgynes, and colonies are polygyne and polydomous. It serves as a host for several myrmecophilous butterflies and has been documented transmitting viruses through scavenging behavior.

  invasive-speciesmyrmecophilysocial-parasitepolygynepolydomousmicrogynemacrogynevirus-reservoirthermal-limitationtrail-learninglarval-beggingundertaker-behaviorPalaearctic-distributionNorth-America-invasionbutterfly-hostDeformed-Wing-Virusnematode-biological-control