Three species of Oxybelus occur in the British Isles. These wasps are superficially very similar to one another (in some localities - e.g. the Gower, West Glamorgan - they may all fly together). They are rather small, active wasps (body length 5-9 mm) with the body predominantly black with some or all of the abdominal terga marked with a pair of pale yellow or white spots. The female of O. argentatus is perhaps the most attractive of the three, its abdomen clothed with rather dense, decumbent, silvery hairs.

The males of this species have a striking appearance, with a greatly elongated head constricted behind the eyes to form a distinct, almost stalk-like, ‘neck’. The male’s fore metatarsus is also distinctive, being drawn out into a quadrate shield-shaped process. Females are less distinctive, closely resembling females of Ectemnius, although the gastral terga are more strongly punctate.

Stenamma westwoodii is a small dark reddish brown myrmicine ant very similar to the more common S. debile (Förster). Up until the 1990s it was thought to be the only species of its genus in the British Isles. It is now clear that S. debile is much more common and older records for S. westwoodii are now treated as S. westwoodii agg and most early records are likely to be S. debile.

Previously known as  T. ambiguum and then briefly as T. madeirense. Workers of this species look superficially like the common black garden ant Lasius niger, but can be distinguished in the field by their behaviour when disturbed. On warm days the small black workers (2.6-4.2 mm) dart around very quickly and aggressively with their gasters slightly raised. Under magnification they completely lack the standing body and appendage hairs of L. niger, the petiole node is also inconspicuous and overhung by the first gastral segment also workers and gynes… Read more

Stenamma debile is a small dark reddish-brown myrmicine ant. Workers of the genus Stenamma can  easily be distinguished from other myrmicines (ants with both a petiole and post-petiole) by their small size, slow movement, pin-point eyes and long narrow petiole. Up until the 1990s any Stenamma found in the British Isles were recorded as westwoodii or, often, under the misspelling westwoodi. The fact that there are two species of Stenamma in the British Isles was pointed out by Dubois (1993). Stenamma debile is by far the… Read more

Myrmica scabrinodis is a common red ant found in many habitats. It could be confused with a number of other Myrmica ants. Examination of the base of the scapes is required to separate it from other Myrmica.

Myrmica specioides is a red ant similar in appearance to others of its genus. It has a scape sharply angled at the base and is most likely to be confused with M. scabrinodis. It can be distinguished in the females and workers by the shape of its petiole and the angle of its scape (see Attewell 2006) and in the males which have a shorter scape than M. scabrinodis. There is some controversy over the name of this species with some authors using the name M. bessarabica Nasonov.

Myrmica vandeli is a rare red ant only recently added to the British list (Elmes et al., 2003). Workers are very similar to M. scabrinodis Nylander and have very similar characteristics. Males have long antennal scapes like those of M. sabuleti Meinert. It is best separated by examining males and workers collected from the same nest. It was first found in Britain in a nest of apparent M. scabrinodis that had males of apparent M. sabuleti.

Myrmica ruginodis is a common red ant and could well be Britain’s commonest ant. Workers are 4–6 mm long, slender and usually fairly slow moving. The antennal scapes are long and slender with a gentle curve at the base. The area between the spines on the propodeum has ridges across it and the spines are usually long. The petiole node has a flat dorsal top with a distinct angle to the posterior area and this is the easiest character with which to separate them from M. rubra (Linnaeus). Queens are similar to workers and 5.5–7 mm long. Some nests will have microgyne queens… Read more

Myrmica rubra is one of the common 'red' ants. Workers have antennal scapes that are long and slender with a gentle curve at the base. The area between the spines on the propodeum is smooth and shining and the spines are shorter than in other Myrmica. The petiole node has an indistinct dorsal area sloping smoothly down to its join with the postpetiole. Queens are similar to workers but larger. Male scapes are long and slender. The male tibia and tarsi have long projecting hairs.