The rarest of the British species of Gorytes.

Despite this being a widespread species, there is little published on its ecology and ethology.

The rarest of our four Nysson species, with British populations seemingly using a different host to those in Fennoscandia. It is similarly threatened in Germany.

A species of Nysson that apparently has two hosts in this country and is sometimes easier to locate than its hosts.

Identification keys and general biology are given in Danks (1971), Spradbery (1973), Richards (1980) Yeo & Corbet (1995) and Archer (2000).

Previously known as Pseudepipona tomentosus (Thomson, 1870). Identification keys and general biology are given in Spradbery (1973), Richards (1980), Yeo & Corbet (1995) and Archer (2000).

Of the twelve British species of Myrmica, this is one of the less widely distributed and least well known in terms of its biology and ecology. Morphologically, M. sulcinodis is typical of the genus in possessing a two-segmented 'waist', pectinate spurs on all tibiae, well developed propodeal spines and a sting in the females. The shape of the antennal scape provides a good character for separation from other British Myrmica. Females of M. sulcinodis are also characterised by a deep red and black coloration and pronounced rugose sculpturing of the cuticle… Read more

This is the only species of this widespread genus to be found naturally in Britain; some other tramp species may occur sporadically. The workers are small (2.5-4 mm) and dark brown or black with a robust morphology typical of myrmecine ants. All castes have a two-segmented 'waist' and pectinate spurs on all tibiae, along with propodeal spines and a sting in the females. Despite its size, T. caespitum is an aggressive ant and uses its sting freely; it is often the dominant ant species where abundant. There is a marked dimorphism between the castes with males and gynes being much… Read more