page_title: List of ants of Great Britain
section_title: Myrmicinae
hierarchical_section_title: List of ants of Great Britain / Myrmicinae
caption_attribution_description: English: Two Myrmica rubra workers from Cambridge, Massachusetts
context_page_description: This is a list of ants of Great Britain, including endemic and introduced species. Compared with much of the rest of Europe, Great Britain has a smaller number of ants. The size and diversity of ant species in any area is largely determined by the highest summer soil temperature, and this being so, it is not surprising that the greatest concentration of different species is centred in the warmer parts of the country – Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey, the Isle of Wight and Kent being the 5 richest counties, with 33, 31, 29, 27 and 26 different species present respectively.
  A few species, best exemplified by Lasius niger and Myrmica rubra, are truly cosmopolitan, colonising a great variety of different habitats. These species are very common in most places, and have ranges that cover most of the nation.
  The larger part of Great Britain's ant species are, however, considerably more specialised in their requirements. Most independent species are found on undisturbed heathland in the south – probably as a direct result of its superior summer soil temperatures – and six are entirely dependent on other species during their mature life.
context_section_description: Waist with two segments, the petiole and post-petiole. Stings usually present in female castes.
  Anergates atratulus – A workerless parasite found only with Tetramorium.
  Crematogaster scutellaris *
  Formicoxenus nitidulus – A guest ant. It nests in colonies of the much larger Formica rufa.
  Leptothorax acervorum – A small ant nesting in tree stumps, under stones and in peat.
  Monomorium pharaonis, pharaoh ant *
  Monomorium salomonis *
  Myrmecina graminicola, woodlouse ant – So called because it tends to roll into a ball when disturbed. A dark and slow moving ant. Local.
  Myrmica hirsuta – A rare almost workerless parasite of Myrmica sabuleti.
  Myrmica karavajevi – A workerless parasite of Myrmica sabuleti and M. scabrinodis.
  Myrmica lonea – A rare red ant recorded from Scotland nesting in soil and under stones.
  Myrmica lobicornis – Not common. It is found on lowland heath and open woodland.
  Myrmica rubra, red ant – A common lowland species most abundant in alluvial soils near rivers.
  Myrmica ruginodis, red ant – A common species abundant in woodland where it nests in tree stumps.
  Myrmica sabuleti – A red ant, locally common nesting in sun exposed sheltered sites.
  Myrmica scabrinodis, elbowed red ant – A common red ant with variable habits. Often found associated with the meadow ant Lasius flavus, but also common in woodland, coastal areas, riverbanks and moorland.
  Myrmica schencki – This nocturnal red ant is not common.
  Myrmica specioides – A rather local red ant. Nests occur in coastal sand, gravel banks and post industrial sites. Sometimes referred to as Myrmica bessarabica
  Myrmica sulcinodis – A dark red ant characteristic of well-drained heather moorland.
  Myrmica vandeli – A rare red ant found in warm boggy areas.
  Pheidole megacephala *
  Solenopsis fugax thief ant – It has very small yellow workers and nests deep in the ground. It is often associated with Lasius flavus or Formica species, from which it steals.
  Stenamma debile – A small and easily overlooked species nesting in woods under stones and in found leaf litter. More common than Stenamma westwoodii with which it has until recently been confused.
  Stenamma westwoodii – A small and easily overlooked species less common than Stenamma debile with which it has, until recently, been confused.
  Strongylognathus testaceus – obligate dulote found only with Tetramorium
  Temnothorax albipennis – A small ant found in warm coastal areas nesting in cracks in rocks.
  Temnothorax interruptus – A small uncommon ant
  Temnothorax nylanderi – A small ant found in leaf litter in woods.
  Tetramorium caespitum – Tends to be coastal and forms large colonies.
caption: Myrmica rubra
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