They might be known for working together in complex colonies, but woodland ants can be quite antisocial.
The insects are able to fire smelly acid into the air to ward off predators and now, their offensive behaviour has been caught on camera.
Woodland ants work together to jointly squirt foul-smelling liquid when they sense a threat overhead – such as a hungry bird.
The formic acid is not harmful to humans and has the same odour as vinegar.
However, it is enough to scare off larger predators such as woodpeckers and jay birds, who could wreak havoc on an ant nest.
Woodland ants live in the UK as well as other parts of Europe.
In order to trigger the insect’s reaction, he gave their nest a tap, which prompted the ants to squirt acid in the air from their tiny abdomens.
‘There are many different species of woodland ants in Britain and these are called Formica rufa,’ said Mr Quagliana, who lives in Gillingham, Dorset.
‘As a defence mechanism they squirt formic acid which smells a bit like salt and vinegar crisps or fish and chips,’ he explained.
‘If you put your hand an inch or two away from the nest they will squirt the acid to try and drive anything away.
‘It doesn't hurt but it stinks and I imagine if it was to get in your eyes it would probably sting.’
In order to capture the action, he set up his camera on a tripod, ensuring the sun was behind the ants, which had built a nest on a log.
‘I then tapped the log and lifted my hand up and started taking photographs,’ he said.
‘I didn't see it when they were squirting the acid but when I looked back at the images, the sun had captured the droplets.’
Formic acid is used as a preservative and antibacterial agent on animal food, tanning leather, dying textiles, and in the making of rubber.
Woodland ants are the largest native ant species of the UK and are known to be aggressively territorial. They often attack and remove other ant species from the area.
The insects are able to fire smelly acid into the air to ward off predators and now, their offensive behaviour has been caught on camera.
Woodland ants work together to jointly squirt foul-smelling liquid when they sense a threat overhead – such as a hungry bird.
The formic acid is not harmful to humans and has the same odour as vinegar.
However, it is enough to scare off larger predators such as woodpeckers and jay birds, who could wreak havoc on an ant nest.
Woodland ants live in the UK as well as other parts of Europe.
In order to trigger the insect’s reaction, he gave their nest a tap, which prompted the ants to squirt acid in the air from their tiny abdomens.
‘There are many different species of woodland ants in Britain and these are called Formica rufa,’ said Mr Quagliana, who lives in Gillingham, Dorset.
‘As a defence mechanism they squirt formic acid which smells a bit like salt and vinegar crisps or fish and chips,’ he explained.
‘If you put your hand an inch or two away from the nest they will squirt the acid to try and drive anything away.
‘It doesn't hurt but it stinks and I imagine if it was to get in your eyes it would probably sting.’
In order to capture the action, he set up his camera on a tripod, ensuring the sun was behind the ants, which had built a nest on a log.
‘I then tapped the log and lifted my hand up and started taking photographs,’ he said.
‘I didn't see it when they were squirting the acid but when I looked back at the images, the sun had captured the droplets.’
Formic acid is used as a preservative and antibacterial agent on animal food, tanning leather, dying textiles, and in the making of rubber.
Woodland ants are the largest native ant species of the UK and are known to be aggressively territorial. They often attack and remove other ant species from the area.
Source : DailyMail
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