Colonies of this ant are found in a variety of habitats, where they excavate underground nests with galleries and chambers.

In some parts of its range, the nests may be raided by slave-making ants, most notably Formica pergandei and Polyergus montivagus.

Northern populations are deep brownish-black, but southern types are bright, coppery yellow, and various intermediate colour combinations occur in the central part of its range.

It is a common species and is found in a variety of habitats, including grassland, woodland, forest, rough ground, lawns, parks and campuses.

A typical nest has about 18 chambers in which the ants live, radiating off the horizontal and vertical galleries and measuring about 4 by 2.5 cm (2 by 1 in), each having a level floor and domed roof.

When a newly fertilised female alights, she breaks off her wings and excavates a small chamber in which to lay her eggs.

She remains there, feeding the larvae that hatch on regurgitated food, and the first batch of workers is stunted through lack of adequate nourishment.

They are claustral, meaning that they will create a small hole in the ground and lay their first batch of 4-7 eggs there; not leaving throughout the whole process.