Formica cunicularia Latreille

Collingwood, C. A., 1979, The Formicidae (Hymenoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark., Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica 8, pp. 1-174 : 127-128

48. Formica cunicularia Latreille , 1798 Figs. 161, 167, 193-196.

Formica cunicularia Latreille , 1798: 151; Yarrow, 1954: 231 (redesription).

Worker. Ashy grey black with at least genae and mesopleural articulations reddish; often most of alitrunk and head may be reddish. Gula and occiput bare. Erect hairs normally absent on pronotum but occasionally one or two short erect hairs may be present oh promesonotum, never on upper margin of scale. Length: 4.0-6.5 mm.

Queen. Yellowish red to dark red with most of head, mesonotum and gaster dark. Propodeum black or yellowish red. First gaster tergite often reddish in part. Erect hairs restricted to anterior part of pronotum, absent from propodeum and upper margin of scale. Appendages pale to dark brownish red. Length: 7.5-9.0 mm.

Male. Body uniformly dark; gaster and scutellum dull with close pubescence; legs mainly yellowish red. Long hairs present on dorsal margin of scale which is emarginate with pronounced angular corners. Length: 8.0-9.0 mm.

Distribution. Very local - Denmark: only East Jutland; Sweden: Skane, Blekinge and Halland in the Southwest, also in Gland, Gotland and Gotska Sandon. - Locally common in South England and South Wales. - Range: North Africa to South Scandinavia, Portugal to Urals.

Biology. This is a common species throughout Western Europe, nesting under stones or in small earth mounds, colonising railway embankments, sun exposed borders of woodland, dry open pasture and sea cliffs. Each nest is separate and normally has only one queen. Its habits are mainly predaceous and scavenging. Alatae occur in July and August.