The Formicidae (Hymenoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark.
Author
Collingwood, C. A.
text
Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica
1979
8
1
174
http://antbase.org/ants/publications/6175/6175.pdf
journal article
6175
Myrmica
hirsuta Elmes
, 1978 Fig. 68.
Myrmica hirsuta Elmes
, 1978:131.
Queen. Similar to a microgyne
M. sabuleti
but distinguished by the laterally enlarged postpetiole, wider frons and excessive development of body hairs. Head width: 1.05 mm. Body length: 5.2 mm. Mean postpetiole width: 0.675 mm.
Male. Similar to
M. sabuleti
except in smaller size and more profuse body hairs. Length: 5.3 mm.
Distribution. Rare, Dorset, South England only.
Biology. This species was discovered by Elmes (1978) in a small group of colonies containing apparently normal
M. sabuleti
workers and in some cases normal queens. The small queens were at first assumed to be microgynes of
M. sabuleti
but body pilosity and relative postpetiole measurements were found to be outside the range of that species. In size and appearance
M. hirsuta
resembles M. myrmecoxena Forel found once only as a parasite of
M. lobicornis
in Switzerland and also has affinities with the similar but much larger
Myrmica bibikoffi Kutter
(1963).