Ants are true all-rounders: they clear away dead insects, hunt pests, disperse plant seeds and improve soil quality with their tunnels. A colony can capture up to 100,000 prey in a single day – nature’s very own free pest control.
In the Valle Maira you will often come across the red wood ant. Its large mounds are built from fir needles, twigs and soil – perfect climate chambers for the brood. These insects live in strictly organised societies with clear roles: workers, soldiers, carers and a queen.
👉 Fun fact: wood ants can carry up to 50 times their own body weight – real powerhouses.