The Essex Naturalist
51
L. nylanderi (Forster)
A small unobtrusive ant found in deciduous woodlands, usually in leaf litter. We
have recent records from 28 widely distributed localities in the county.
L. tuberum (Fabricius) - Notable A
Donisthorpe (1927) gives Southend as the only locality in Essex and this is
shown in Barrett (1979). The recent rediscovery of this ant in Essex is detailed
in Payne (1995). A single worker was found at Shoebury Old Ranges, a
remarkable remnant of the former Shoebury Common. It is now known that this
site has a very rich invertebrate fauna, another example of the nationally
important fauna that survives on the Essex side of the Thames Estuary.
Monomorium pharaonis (L.)
A cosmopolitan species that in North Europe is frequently established in heated
premises including bakehouses, laundries and hospitals (Collingwood 1979).
The Colchester Natural History Museum have a single record for Essex County
Hospital in 1976. More recently, this small ant has been found to be established
in the central heating ducts of a number of high rise buildings in the Essex
portion of east London, especially in Newham.
Myrmecina graminicola (Latreille)
A scarce ant with recent records from seven localities in South Essex. These are
Auckland Road (coll. by P R Mabbott in 1994) and Connaught Club (Hanson
1992) in the Epping Forest area, St Mary's Churchyard (East Ham), Grays
Chalk Quarry, Fobbing Marshes, Hadleigh Downs, Bushy Hill (South Woodham
Ferrers) and The Cliff (Burnham-on-Crouch). One feature these localities
probably all have in common is sparsely vegetated ground.
Solenopsis fugax (Latreille) - RDB3
A largely subterranean species which often forms large colonies deep in the
ground or beneath large stones, often linked to those of larger ants such as Lasius
or Formica species. It typically robs and eats the brood of larger species. Falk
(1991) lists S Essex and Donisthorpe (1927) gives Shoebury near Southend and
this is shown in Barrett (1979). There are no recent records in the county but
the minute workers are seldom seen above ground and it is possible that it
remains undetected because of its secretive habits.
Genus: Stenamma. The ant known previously in this country as Stenamma
westwoodi has recently been shown to refer to two species S. westwoodi
Westwood and S. debile Forster (BWARS starter pack: 31-34). The majority of
British records seem to be referable to S. debile.
Stenamma debile Forster
The late J C Felton checked a number of specimens from Essex and all but one
were S. debile. So far all further specimens that we have seen also seem be
referable to S. debile which has recent records from 21 localities in South Essex,
10 of these in the Epping Forest area (coll. by P R Mabbott in 1994 & 1995) and