The Role of Red Wood Ants (Formica rufa Species Group) in Central European Forest Ecosystems—A Literature Review

Mikó, Ágnes and Csősz, Sándor and Paulin, Márton József and Csóka, György (2025) The Role of Red Wood Ants (Formica rufa Species Group) in Central European Forest Ecosystems—A Literature Review. INSECTS, 16 (5). ISSN 2075-4450

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Abstract

Red wood ants (RWA), belonging to the Formica rufa species group, play a crucial and fascinating role in Central Europe’s forest ecosystems. They have a high variety of effects, which they exert around their nests. Their generalist feeding on prey in the canopies of trees lowers the frequency of defoliator outbreaks, as well as increases local biodiversity. Nearly half of their diverse diet is insects, including species considered harmful by foresters. They also have a mutualistic relation with honeydew-producing aphids and planthoppers, which connection has unclear effects on the forests. The habit of RWAs building nests could also positively influence soil composition, due to its structure and high amount of organic matter, which could potentially benefit tree growth. RWAs are also known to enhance the species richness of forests by supporting various myrmecophilous species associated with them. In this study, we review the role of RWAs in forest protection, drawing on the literature focusing on Hungary and Central Europe.

Tudományterület / tudományág

agricultural sciences > forestry and wildlife management

Faculty

Not relevant

Institution

Soproni Egyetem

Item Type:	Article
SWORD Depositor:	Teszt Sword
Depositing User:	Csaba Horváth
Identification Number:	MTMT:36173838
Date Deposited:	06 Jun 2025 10:36
Last Modified:	06 Jun 2025 10:36
URI:	http://publicatio.uni-sopron.hu/id/eprint/3637

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