Myrmica hirsuta is a very rare social parasite mainly of Myrmica sabuleti. Queens and males are very similar to M. sabuleti but smaller, more robust and hairier. Myrmica hirsuta queens can be separated from microgynes of their host by an enlarged post-petiole, wider frons and longer body hairs. Small numbers of M. hirsuta workers are sometimes present in nests. Parasitised nests produce alates of both parasite and host.

Lasius umbratus workers are yellowish and rarely seen due to their underground habits. Unlike the common yellow ant Lasius flavus (Fabricius), L. umbratus workers have numerous erect hairs on their scapes and tibia. Queens are reddish brown and have heads that are broader than the maximum width of the alitrunk. Males are brownish black and have denticulate mandibles.

Lasius platythorax is a small brown to dark brownish black ant which until recently was confused with L. niger (L). Seifert (1991) showed that it was a distinct species based on morphological differences coupled with distinctly different habitat preferences and and this is now accepted by most authorities. The scapes and tibia have erect hairs. The clypeus has sparse pubescence and the hairs on the pronotum are longer than those of L. niger.

Lasius niger is a small brown to dark brownish black ant that is common in gardens and if not our commonest ant is certainly the one people are most familiar with. Scapes and tibia have erect hairs. The clypeus has dense pubescence.

The ‘common black ant’ frequently referred to as Lasius niger is in fact two discrete species with different morphology and ecology - L. niger and L. platythorax Siefert 1992. This was first recognised in Seifert, 1991. The use of L. niger in the wide sense is so well ingrained that all records should be put to… Read more

Lasius psammophilus is a small brown to dark brown ant which until recently was confused with L. alienus Förster. Seifert (1992) showed that it was a distinct species based on morphological differences coupled with distinctly different habitat preferences. The scapes and tibia have no erect hairs. Workers can be separated from the sibling species L. alienus by the greater number of hairs (2-5) between the propodeal spiracle and the metapleural gland.

Lasius sabularum is one of the Lasius species with yellow workers. It is very similar to L. mixtus. It differs in having 2 or 3 sub-erect hairs on hind tibia. Males have serrated mandibles. This species has been re-established and redefined by Seifert (1988).
 

Lasius neglectus, the invasive garden ant, is a small brown ant, superficially similar in appearance and behaviour to the common black garden ant Lasius niger (L.). Unlike L. niger, which is monogynous (each nest with a single queen) and has adjacent nests that compete with one another, L. neglectus is polygynous (each nest has many queens) and has adjacent nests that do not compete with each other. This ant probably originated from Asia Minor or Turkey (Seifert, 2000) and is thought to have been introduced into Europe with horticultural materials (… Read more

Lasius mixtus workers are small and yellowish. The petiole is low with an emarginate dorsal border. There are no standing hairs on scapes or front tibia and body hairs are shorter than L. flavus (Fabricius). Queens are brownish black with head about as broad as alitrunk. Males are brownish black with weakly dentated mandibles.

Lasius meridionalis is a rare, small yellow ant superficially similar to the common L. flavus (Fabricius). It can be difficult to separate it from the similar L. mixtus (Nylander), L. sabularum (Bondroit) and L. umbratus (Nylander). It is a temporary social parasite.

Lasius flavus is a small yellow ant best known for its long lasting mounds in undisturbed grassland and meadows.