Workers are large for a European myrmicine, around 6–9 mm.
Fine-art photographic collection
Manica rubida
A large red mountain ant that nests beside cold streams and gravel banks.
About this species
Manica rubida(Latreille, 1802)
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Manica rubida is a robust ant of European mountain and upland habitats. Colonies occupy well-drained soil and gravel, often near rivers, paths and open slopes.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Hymenoptera · Formicidae · Manica
Source checked · checked 2026-07-15
European mountainsBroad documented localities — not a complete range map.
Mountain systems of central and southern Europe.
Gravel bars, river terraces, alpine meadows, paths and open rocky ground.
Diurnal in cool to mild conditions and most active during the mountain summer.
Predatory and scavenging, with sugary liquids also collected.
Ground nests may be deep and can contain one or several queens, with colonies usually numbering hundreds rather than many thousands.
What makes this species remarkable?
Unlike many European ants, workers possess a functional sting.
Colonies tolerate cool climates but need sun-warmed open ground for activity.
Nests can survive periodic disturbance in shifting gravel beside mountain streams.
Sources and scientific references
More photographs
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