Formica rufa

Kostowski, W. A note on the effects of some psychotropic dmgs on the aggressive behavior in the ant, Formica rufa. J Pharm Pharmacol 18 747-749, 1966. 

Formica rufa W-HG Trail following antennal responses 3,4- Dihydro - 8 -hydroxy- 3 - m ethyliso coum arin 129 (without stereochemistry) [172,173]... 

Pteridines are widespread in the animal kingdom, and particularly among insects (Table VI) (42). The red ants in the genera Formica, Lasius, and Rap-tiformica eontain pteridines sueh as isoxanthopterin (67) and biopterin (70) (Table VI). One of the eatecholamines, noradrenaline (133), is also detected from Formica rufa (Table VIII). 

Reserpine. As mentioned earlier, the Rauwolfia alkaloid reserpine is noted for its ability to deplete aromatic biogenic amines in nervous tissue of mammals and insects. One of the more remarkable effects of reserpine in humans is to render individuals indifferent to environmental stimuli. Reserpine appears to have a similar effect on insects, although information is still relatively scanty. In the cockroach, Periplaneta americana, reserpine at 50 vg/g causes strong and long-lasting depletion of the aromatic biogenic amines dopamine, octopamine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine (24). Numerous authors have noted that reserpine has tranquilizing effects on insects, e.g., the ant Formica rufa (30) and . americana (24,31). 

The reactions of ants to pupae has been developed as a taxonomic tool for ants of the Formica rufa group (Rosengren and Cherix, 1981). Presented with pupae from different species, or from geographically separated populations, workers showed varying preferences for their own pupae alongside those of other populations. These preferences were correlated with morphological characters. 

Lofqvist, J. (1977) Toxic properties of the chemical defence systems in the competitive ants Formica rufa and F. sanguinea. Oikos, 28, 137-51. 

Rosengren, R. and Cherix, D. (1981) The pupa-carrying test as a taxonomic tool in the Formica rufa group. In Biosystematics of Social Insects (Howse, P. E. and Clement, J.-L., eds) pp. 263-82. Academic Press, London and New York. 

Many insects, including the red ant Formica rufa from which it was named, use formic acid as a chemical weapon, a communication system, and for protection against... 

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