The ecological traits of the settlement of ants Formica aqiulonia Yarrow were studied in areas influenced by various anthropogenic factors (recreation, coal industry, increasing road traffic). We have revealed that ants are sensitive to any effects and in the overwhelming cases disappear from the contaminated area. Anthills with a dome diameter of 0.65-0.80 appeared to be the most resistant to various anthropogenic factors. No changes in the diet of F. aquilonia have been detected in the zone of coalmine impact. On the contrary, in the areas with a high recreational impact, the proportion first and second instar larvae of the Colorado beetle is increasing, which makes it possible to consider this species as a biological defense.

The peculiarities of the settlement of ants of the genus Formica have been studied at the areas affected by varying degreesof impact made by enterprises of surface (opencast mines) and underground (deep mines) coal hard mining. It has been revealed that Formica ants. str. are the most sensitive to any impact and in overwhelming cases disappear from the contaminated area. On the contrary, the representatives of Serviformica are more environmentally flexible, and are able to occupy areas with anaverage degree of contamination. However, the density of the settlement and the abundance remain low. After the cessation of coal mining near opencast mines, the recovery of myrmecofauna occurs more rapidly (7-10 years) than near deep mines (more than50 years). The higher the degree of contamination of the area, the lighter the colour of the ants. The proportion of insect larvae in the Formica rufa food sharply increases in the contaminated area.