The Essex Naturalist
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far north as Garnetts Wood, Hatfield Forest (K. Alexander pers. comm.) and
Sandylay Wood in North Essex and as far east as Edwinshall Wood at Bushy Hill
(South Woodham Ferrers).
Lasius brunneus (Latreille)
Habitat and Ecology
Single queens initiate colonies in crevices and the species nests in the interior of
old broad-leaved trees, chiefly oak but it has also been recorded from hedgerows
and the timbers of old buildings (Collingwood 1979 & Falk 1991). The ant
appears to be closely associated with a few species of ant-tended Homoptera
(Hoy in Edwards 1998). In Essex workers of the ant have typically been found
running on the bark of old trees, usually oak in sunny situations at the edge of
woods or at the sides of rides and woodland clearings. The species has been
found on pine trunks at Menagerie Plantation (Thorndon Park south) and on
cut pine logs lining the edge of a new path in a conifer plantation at Chestnut
Wood, Hanningfield and also occasionally in leaf litter. Perhaps the most
remarkable record is of workers on a very old apple tree trunk in a pub garden at
Blackmore in 1998 seen while the author was enjoying lunch!
Threats
Alexander (1998) describes the profound effect modern recording has had on
our knowledge of the British distribution of this species which has strongholds in
the Thames Valley and the Severn Vale. The Essex populations form a
significant proportion of its national distribution and must be considered
Regionally Important. The species would be affected by the loss of ancient