SirJet: Help to ID please (28. Jul 2008 15:35)

LOCATION: South England (Berkshire).

I discovered this nest of Red ants constructed underneath a clay pigeon.

The nest is located on the edge of a woodland and the sun shines on the nest area in the mid afternoon.

They look like Myrmica r ubra to me.

Thumbnails:

Close up
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/3961/closeup1xt2.th.jpg

Nest under clay pigeon
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/2397/picture001ad5.th.jpg

Nest 1
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/8615/picture002vy6.th.jpg

Nest 2
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/1056/picture012wt6.th.jpg

Nest 3
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/7286/picture013my4.th.jpg

Queen?
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/6903/queenvu0.th.jpg

Direct Links to Images:

Close up = http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/3961/closeup1xt2.jpg

Nest under clay pigeon = http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/2397/picture001ad5.jpg

Nest 1 = http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/8615/picture002vy6.jpg

Nest 2 = http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/1056/picture012wt6.jpg

Nest 3 = http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/7286/picture013my4.jpg

Queen? = http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/6903/queenvu0.jpg

SteveUK28: (28. Jul 2008 16:01)

well im almost 100% sure they are Myrmica.. not sure what spec tho. However.. Great find :D :drink06:

SirJet: (28. Jul 2008 16:12)

Thanks, pictures were better than I first thought, especialy the brood.

Skippy: (28. Jul 2008 16:31)

hehe they built very nice nest :) , yes it is some Myrmica sp. .... and on "Nest 3" and "Queen?" picures is queen :)

SirJet: (28. Jul 2008 16:51)

There's a dozen more nests like this one nearby, also under old clays.

SteveUK28: (28. Jul 2008 17:37)

you could always collect one sirjet ;)

ratgreen: (28. Jul 2008 17:44)

yer, if there is that many, collecting a colony may actually benifit the ants as there is less fighting over food, and you also get a free colony.

SirJet: (28. Jul 2008 18:13)

Finding a mated queen is the difficult part in a wood. I don't want to take one from the nest.

miszt: (28. Jul 2008 18:41)

you can be almost positive its Myrmica rubra in the UK, other species are not common at all

mpir: (29. Jul 2008 07:37)

Finding a mated queen is the difficult part in a wood. I don't want to take one from the nest.

Myrmica rubra colonies have many queens - taking one will not harm the colony.