The Formicinae is a subfamily within the Formicidae containing ants of moderate evolutionary development.
Formicines retain some primitive features such as the presence of cocoons around pupae, the presence of ocelli in workers, and little tendency toward reduction of palp or antennal segmentation in most species, except subterranean groups. Extreme modification of mandibles is rare, except in the genera Myrmoteras and Polyergus. On the other hand, some members show considerable evolutionary advancement in behaviors such as slave-making and symbiosis with root-feeding homopterans. Finally, all formicines have a very reduced sting and enlarged venom reservoir, with the venom gland, specialized (uniquely among ants) for the production of formic acid.
This subfamily contains a very large number of genera, many of which are grouped into tribes. It includes many of the best known ant species, including members of the genera:
Unable to care for her own brood, the queen must infiltrate a Formicine nest, kill the resident queen, and fool the remaining colony of workers to do her bidding.
She follows fellow workers on a larval raid of a Formicine nest, in order to use this distraction to gain access to the host queen.
Formicine workers who attack the parasitic queen are repelled by emissions from her Dufour’s gland.
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