A wood ants (Formica rufa) nest is a sign of a healthy ecosystem and wood ants are extraordinary ecosystem engineers. Their enormous nest mounds tunnel deep beneath the surface of the soil where the ants will hibernate during Autumn and Winter.
Once Spring comes around the ants will emerge and often swarm around the nest to keep warm. Their dome shaped nest colonies are often found south facing and can contain up to 400,000 ants.
While walking along a forest path we heard the high pitched complex rustling sound and went to investigate. Once we discovered and observed this incredible natural wonder we were fascinated by what this nest may sound like to the creatures that inhabit the underground.
Kit list: JRF Contact Probe Mics, LOM Geophone, Sound Devices MixPre6 ii, Sennheiser HD25 Headphones.
Filmed & Edited by Ewan Dryburgh, Colourist Ella Soryl
