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The Essex Naturalist
species but is occasionally found under stones. Apparently this small ant is
somewhat more aggressive than L. acervorum and will sting freely.
Threats
In woodlands adjacent to urban areas the species may he threatened by intense
amenity pressure.
Leptothorax nylanderi (Forster)
Tetramorium caespitum (L.)
National status Local County status Essex Rare
Threat status Essex Endangered
Distribution
Donisthorpe (1927) gives Southend, Shoeburyness and Walton-on-Naze as
localities in Essex and pre 1961 records are shown in Barrett (1979) for TQ88,
TQ89. Barrett shows a post-1961 record for the Walton Naze square (TM22)
but the author knows of no recent county records for this species.
Habitat and Ecology
Collingwood (1979) describes the species as tending to be coastal in North
Europe but also inland on heath and on the open borders of woodland.
Threats
If rediscovered in the county the most likely threat would be loss of sites to
development or damage to sites through excessive public pressure or lack of
management.