91Èȱ¬

There are two main species of wood ants - hairy wood ants and red wood ants. Hairy wood ants are a northern species in the UK, but they are found as far south as mid Wales.

They are less fussy about their habitat than their red counterparts, and Coed y Brenin provides an ideal habitat for them, and their nests are scattered across the forest floor.

Red wood ants are mostly found in southern England and into south Wales. They like sunnier and more open conditions so broadleaf woodlands are ideal. These ants are rarer in Wales than the hairy wood ants.

Hairy wood ants live in mound-shaped nests made out of dead leaves, pine leaves and twigs. They are called solariums because their purpose is to trap heat and keep the nest warm.

A mature nest can contain half a million worker ants. The metabolic heat produced by these busy creatures helps to maintain nest temperature, and at night they block up entrances to stop the heat escaping.

Hairy wood ants forage on the ground and in trees and will also eat just about anything soft bodied that has the misfortune of getting in their way.

Badgers, foxes and green woodpeckers are probably the main ant predators. They attempt to defend themselves from predators (and humans) by producing and spraying formic acid - a smelly substance which can blister the skin.