Bug FAQBlack-backed meadow ant
Formica pratensis · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Formicidae
Also called: European Red Wood Ant, Meadow Ant
Workers are 4.5 to 9.5 mm long, queens 9.5 to 11.3 mm. The thorax is reddish, while the head top and abdomen are black or dark brown with two deep black patches on the pronotum and mesonotum. They live on rough alpine pastures up to about 1500 m, as well as dry heathland, meadows and roadsides across much of Europe and the East Palearctic.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The thorax is mainly reddish, while the head top and abdomen are black or dark brown, and there are two large deep black patches on the pronotum and mesonotum.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Workers measure 4.5 to 9.5 mm, slightly larger than related wood ants; queens reach 9.5 to 11.3 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found on rough alpine pastures up to about 1500 m, as well as dry heathland, meadows and roadsides.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Feeds mainly on insects and other small animals and also harvests honeydew from aphids.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
A nest usually has a single queen or only a few queens. Winged males and females appear from late April to September, reflecting two generations per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Occurs in many European countries including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, and others, plus the East Palearctic realm and the Near East.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
How big are black-backed meadow ants?
Workers are 4.5 to 9.5 mm long and queens are 9.5 to 11.3 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find black-backed meadow ants?
They live on rough alpine pastures up to about 1500 m, as well as dry heathland, meadows and roadsides across much of Europe and the East Palearctic.
Source: Wikipedia
What do black-backed meadow ants eat?
They mainly eat insects and other small animals and collect honeydew from aphids.
Source: Wikipedia
When are winged ants present?
Winged males and females appear from late April to September.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Formicidae)
Eastern Black Carpenter AntCamponotus pennsylvanicusCan damage your home
Red Imported Fire AntSolenopsis invictaCan sting
American Winter AntPrenolepis imparis
Argentine AntLinepithema humileNuisance, not dangerous
Immigrant Pavement AntTetramorium immigransCan sting
Odorous House AntTapinoma sessileCan damage your homeSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formica_pratensis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.