Survival of the super ants

This story appeared in the February 2025 print and digital issues of National Geographic magazine.

The vast mounds built by the red wood ant, Formica polyctena, are among the largest aboveground ant nests on Earth. They also function as impressive heat-retention structures, made possible by the collective thermoregulation of millions of ants working together to sustain themselves and their brood in the cold forests of Europe.

The interactive digital story (which may be behind a paywall), developed with Ben Scott, received an Award of Excellence from the Society for News Design.