100
The Essex Naturalist
There are no modern records to the west of the county. Barrett shows pre
1961 records for TQ48 and TQ49 which are probably referable to Epping Forest
and an old occurrence here is mentioned in Leutscher (1974) where he notes
finding a nest alongside the Green Ride by Fairmead. Today the Wood ant has
almost certainly disappeared from Epping Forest.
There are recent records for 23 localities in south-east Essex, as far west as
Harts Wood near Brentwood but the only recent records in North Essex are for
Shut Wood at Great Totham (J. Dobson 1997) and at Fingringhoe Wick (M.
Edwards 1997). The Wood ant was not recorded from Fingringhoe Wick until
recently and the colony is believed to have been brought in with wood and litter
from the Danbury area. The nest has been known in a wood store for 3-4 years
but M. Edwards (pers. comm.) found workers foraging on open ground 200-
300m away, suggesting the possibility of further nests.
Habitat and Ecology
Nests of this well known ant may be isolated or in small groups, normally with
many queens and estimates of up to 100,000 to 400,000 workers. Foraging trails
may be up to 100m or more and prey is taken from both trees and forest floor
although the main diet is aphid honey dew (Collingwood 1979). The large
mound nests of leaves and twigs are usually found in open woodland conditions
or near the edges of paths and woodland clearings. Whilst still abundant in many
heathy woods in south-east Essex the ant has been lost from Epping Forest and
most of north-east Essex probably due to past lack of woodland management.
Threats
This species has clearly undergone a decline in the north-east of the county due
to lack of woodland management and the loss of open woodland. Woodland
neglect and cessation of coppicing at its present sites would almost certainly
result in further decline. If the apparent contraction in the range of this species
in Britain (Hoy 1995) is confirmed the Essex Threat status of this ant may
require changing to Regionally Important.
Formica sanguinea Latreille
National status Scarce Nb County status Essex Extinct
Threat status Essex Endangered
Distribution
The species is listed for S Essex in Falk (1991). Donisthorpe (1927) gives
Thundersley as a locality and this is shown in Barrett (1979). There are no
recent records.
Habitat and Ecology
A "slave-making" or "robber ant" which takes over nests of ants in the F. fusca
group.
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.