Formic Acid, a chemical compound synthesised in 18th century was named after the Latin word for ant – Formica. The acid first was obtained in a fairly pure form in 1749 by German chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraf (1709-1782), who prepared it by distilling red ants. It also is found in nettles and bee stings. Formic Acid is widely used as a preservative and anti-bacterial agent in livestock feed.
