The Common Red Ant (Myrmica rubra) now ranges throughout Europe, Japan and North America as an invasive species. It originates from central Europe.
It is an aggressive species, capable of delivering a nettle-like sting to vertebrates and invertebrates alike.
Myrmica rubra is a polygynous species often having many queens in a single colony. They are also polydomous, often having multiple nest sites per colony. Queens will gather together after their nuptial flight and will found nests together.
Myrmica rubra queens have been know to live up to fifteen years. Nuptial flights typically take place in late July to mid- August in Europe. Hundreds of young queens and males take to the air to mate.
M. rubra lives primarily on a diet of honeydew excreted by aphids but are also predatory toward many small invertebrates.
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