Stats

Lifespan

1-15 yrs

Size

Small

Diet

Omnivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Colony

Biome

Temperate grassland

Range

East Asia

Movement

Walking

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Toxins

Status

Uncommon

About

This common ant builds sprawling tunnel networks across East Asian grasslands. It farms aphids for honeydew and will fiercely bite intruders to protect its colony.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Formica

Species

Formica japonica