SOLDIERS OF THE SPRUCE FOREST

Formica paralugubris (Seifert, 1996) is a species that belongs to the Formica rufa group — a truly remarkable bunch of insects. These ants live in cold, high-altitude forests in the northern hemisphere, where they build large mound nests made of conifer needles and resin, known as “mounds”. Each mound houses tens of thousands of workers, queens, larvae, and eggs. They’re dominant, highly efficient predators, and considered keystone species — meaning they play a crucial role in shaping the ecosystems they inhabit. Formica paralugubris is originally native to a small section of the Central-Western Alps. Today, though, their known range includes parts of the Northern and Central Apennines, Sardinia, and even Canada. That unexpected expansion is "thanks to" the italian entomologist Mario Pavan, who, starting in the 1950s, used these ants in biological control experiments against the pine processionary moth. He also saw them as a kind of “ecological stabilizer” in reforested areas after World War II. 

Entire colonies were relocated from the Alps to new sites — including the Casentinesi Forests National Park, where they still thrive today. And it’s right there that this photo series was created — the first ever fully dedicated to this species — in collaboration with the Wood Wide Ants (WWA) research project. WWA is a collaborative effort between three Italian universities and several European organizations. Its focus? Exploring the genome of these fascinating insects to better understand how their supercolonies work, and to compare native populations with those introduced by humans.

The project also puts a strong emphasis on science communication and education, using nature photography as a powerful tool to share its findings with a broader audience. Here’s a closer look at what it’s all about.