The Essex Naturalist
53
mentioned in Leutscher (1974) where he notes finding a nest alongside the
Green Ride by Fairmead. There are recent records for nine localities in south-
east Essex, as far north as Thrift Wood (Maldon) and Edwinshall Wood (South
Woodham Ferrers). There are also records from seven more woods in south-east
Essex mentioned in Rackham (1986), which are very likely to still be extant.
F. sanguinea Latreille - Notable B
The species is listed for S Essex in Falk (1991). Donisthorpe (1927) gives
Thundersley as a locality and this is shown in Barrett (1979). A "slave-making"
or "robber" ant which takes over nests of ants in the F. fusca group. There are no
recent records.
Genus: Lasius. We have recent records for all seven currently accepted British
species.
Lasius alienus (Foester)
This seems to be a tare ant in the county. We have recent records tor only six
localities at Hadleigh Castle, Hall Hill (Tilbury), Shoebury Old Ranges and
Sunshine Plain (Epping Forest) in South Essex and Colne Point and Bartlow
Hills in North Essex. There is an older record for Havering-Atte-Bower
Roundhouse in 1984 by the Passmore Edwards Museum Survey Team. The ant
seems to occur in thermophilic conditions on sparsely vegetated sandy soil,
chalk grassland and heathland.
L. brunneus (Latreille) - Notable A
The ant is listed for S and N Essex in Falk (1991). It is associated with old
broad-leaved trees, especially old oak pollards. We have recent records for six
localities in the Epping Forest area, seven more localities in South Essex as far