Myrmica

Myrmica is a genus of ants, family Formicidae, subfamily Myrmicinae, tribe Myrmicini, established by Latreille in 1804, comprising approximately 200 known species, a figure likely to increase as Chinese and Nearctic species lists are revised. The genus is widespread throughout the temperate regions of the Holarctic and in high mountains of Southeast Asia, commonly known as myrmicine ants or small red ants, with the type species Myrmica rubra; the genus carries six recognized synonyms reflecting historical taxonomic revisions. Myrmica species show complex social behaviors, including inquiline species that parasitize host colonies through hormone manipulation, interactions with the butterfly larvae of the genus Phengaris that live in their nests, and cultivation of aphids for honeydew.