Tetramorium atratulum formerly known as Anergates atratulus is an obligate workerless parasite (inquiline) in the colonies of another ant, Tetramorium caespitum. As with many socially parasitic ants, atratulum appear to be related to its host genus and the female morphology is superficially similar. Gynes are about about 2.5mm long, blackish-brown with yellow legs.
Discovered in Britain, in SE London, for the first time in 2016.
A Nearctic species that has become established in Europe. This is a large wasp, up to 20mm length.
Join Adrian Knowles, bee & wasp expert on this fascinating day. Adrian is the Suffolk county recorder for bees, wasps & ants. You will learn about the ecology & lifecycle of solitary bees & wasps, nest sites, artificial nest boxes and pollinator-friendly plants. There are some 200 species of wild bees in the UK, called solitary bees because they make individual nest cells for their larvae. Some species nest in tunnels or holes in the ground, sandy banks and crumbling mortar while others use the hollow stems of dead plants such as bramble. They are harmless and do not… Read more
Discovered near Tetbury, Gloucestershire in September 2016. A second confirmed sighting was made from north of the Mendip Hills in Somerset in early October 2016.
Defra issued a press release on 20 September 2016 regarding the Gloucestershire record for Asian hornet Vespa velutina
Update:
In 2017 Vespa velutina was discovered at Woolacombe in Devon.
First recorded on the British mainland from SE London in 2016.
Information on nesting biology (Palaearctic Osmiine Bees) here
Defra issued a press release on 20 September 2016 regarding a Gloucestershire record for Asian hornet Vespa velutina
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asian-hornet-identified-in-gloucestershire
BWARS' information sheet on this wasp can be found here
MAPS
With the launch of the NBN's Living Atlas and the closure of the NBN Gateway maps, currently it is not possible to display maps from NBN data. The maps now displayed on species accounts pages are made with around 900,000 BWARS records!
BWARS AGM and Members’ Weekend 8 & 9 OCTOBER 2016 - National Museum Cardiff
The BWARS Committee invite all our members to join us at Cardiff Museum on Saturday 8th October and/or Sunday 9th October for the BWARS AGM and members’ weekend.
The BWARS members’ weekend is a great opportunity to meet up with friends – old and new. The official business is conducted at the AGM on Sunday but the meeting is mainly informal.
As in previous years, on Saturday there will be a number of workshops for members. The number of places at the… Read more