Effect of mound size on intranest thermoregulation in the red wood ants Formicarufa and F. polyctena (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Red wood ants are capable of active thermoregulation in the nest, which allows them to achieve a high number of workers and a dominant position in biocenoses.We investigated the features of the spring warm-up and the ability for active thermoregulation of the mounds of the ants Formica polyctena and F. rufa in the vicinity of Kyiv, Ukraine. We have proposed a model of thermoregulation of the mound, which takes into account the heat flow from the sun, heat exchange with air and soil, and endogenous heat generated by the antcolony.