SteveUK28: Red Ants (5. Dez 2007 14:20)

Hiya guys.. just a quick question
In the summer around here u see loads of little like red ants on walls n things... Just wondering.. Are they actually ants??? and if so What species?
and if not.. any ideas what they are?
Just so you know these so called ants r like really tiny and usualy there is loads of them.. like over 50.. id say they are like 1mm long..

Steve

miszt: (5. Dez 2007 14:29)

are you sure they are red? maybe orangy color?

Theres a few diffrent ants it culd be, Lasius Flavus and Temnothorax Nylandri are out the UK's smallest, l.flavus are usually yellowy-orange, but can be darker, and t.nylanderi are dark orange to red, l.flavus are the most likly as they are very small ~2mm, t.nylanderi are rarly found in the UK, and mostly in the SE rather than wales

They culd possibly be young manica/myrmica, but unliklly if they are so small

They may be Mites of course, but they look more like spiders (red spider mites are very common in the UK) than ants

SteveUK28: (5. Dez 2007 14:32)

Def not L. Flavus.. il see if i can find pics of t.nylanderi.. but i think u might be right about them being mites.. i never thought of that.

Purifier: (5. Dez 2007 14:43)

Or you make some pics and load em up. So we can easier identify it ;)

SteveUK28: (5. Dez 2007 15:31)

i would but they only come out in summer..

Purifier: (5. Dez 2007 18:59)

What? Your camera? Or what do you mean?

JimmyVe: (5. Dez 2007 19:12)

;) I think he means the ants only come out at summer.

Yes it would be easier for us SteveUK28 if you have pictures, maybe you should ask that question again in summer if you have some. ;)

ant dude: (5. Dez 2007 19:58)

yeah it would be nice to see wot species your chatin bout............try get some pics.......and study there behavier a bit post back here with pics :P and maybe u could get yourself a queen/colony of these in the summer aswell if u like them to keep :grin:

SteveUK28: (6. Dez 2007 10:32)

I do think they may possibly be mites like miszt said.. but yes in summer i shall get some pics.. I've only ever noticed them on concrete and stone.. never on the ground.. and they are VERY tiny.. and i so mean like 1mm... You have to look very hard to see them...

mpir: (6. Dez 2007 13:41)

Do they look like this? ;)

http://www.allotment.org.uk/garden-diary/38/controlling-red-spider-mite-biologically/

yes, they are mites and not ants. :wink: