Workers are typically around 5–8 mm long.
Fine-art photographic collection
Aphaenogaster senilis
A Mediterranean seed carrier with an unusual way of transporting liquid food.
About this species
Aphaenogaster senilisMayr, 1853
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Aphaenogaster senilis is a ground-nesting ant of the western Mediterranean. It is an important seed disperser and recruits nestmates to large food items while foraging over the soil surface.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Hymenoptera · Formicidae · Aphaenogaster
Source checked · checked 2026-07-15
Western MediterraneanBroad documented localities — not a complete range map.
Western Mediterranean region, including the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, parts of Italy and North Africa; also recorded on Atlantic islands.
Warm woodland edges, scrub, gardens and human-modified ground with sheltered nesting sites.
Mostly diurnal in mild conditions, with activity reduced during cold periods and the hottest part of summer days.
Omnivorous: arthropods, seeds, carrion and sugary foods.
Colonies are usually headed by one queen and contain monomorphic workers, though worker size still varies.
What makes this species remarkable?
Workers can soak liquid food into particles such as soil or plant material and carry the loaded material back to the nest.
Seeds moved by the ants can be carried away from parent plants and deposited in protected microsites.
Colonies relocate when nest conditions deteriorate, using recruitment rather than permanent trunk trails.
Sources and scientific references
More photographs
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