Here we see a recently-mated wood ant queen (Formica rufa) who, having given herself the chemical scent of a black ant (Formica fusca) by rather grotesque means, has entered a black ant nest, killed its queen and taken her brood for her own. Ruthless!
It may be a rather grisly means of reproduction, but it's a testament to the success of species like Formica fusca that ants like Formica rufa sometimes rely on them for expansion.
It may be a rather grisly means of reproduction, but it's a testament to the success of species like Formica fusca that ants like Formica rufa sometimes rely on them for expansion.