This forum is a place to discuss matters related to BWARS and general matters related to aculeates.
It is not intended as a forum for identification queries. We may add this feature in due course, but meanwhile, if you need help identifying bees, wasps and ants, please use either iSpot or the BWARS forum on Yahoo.
A genus of small ground dwelling ants. The majority of records are from green-houses or other permantly heated buildings. Outdoor records are usually from piles of rotting or fermanting matter. There are known to be three species present in the British Isles but very similar morphology makes determining specimens to species difficult.. The best known is H. punctatissama iso Seifert, 2013 with scattered records across all areas; H. ergatandria iso Seifert, 2013 only recently split from H. punctatissama and H.
Distribution:
See the species pages
Identification:
Seifert (2013) gives a method of separating the species based on measurments of the head width and scape length. The input of data has to be in millimetres and accurate for three decimal points. For Head width, CW and Scape length, SL:
If SL/CW > 0.88 you have H. eduardi
else
For workers and ergatomorphic females calculate the function D = 142.82 SL – 68.67 CW –26.12 Specimens with D<0 belong to H. ergatandria and those with D>0 to H. punctatissima.
For gynomorphic females calculate the function D = 85.90 SL – 18.54 CW – 30.312 Specimens with D<0 belong to H. ergatandria and those with D>0 to H. punctatissima.
Michael Archer has kindly made avaiable a key to British "DEB" species. This can be downloaded here.
Michael comments "I have produced these keys via Perkins although I am grateful for the help I have received from Olmi". Note: Olmi authored the key work to Fenno-Scandian DEBS (Olmi, 1994).
A draft key to the British DEBS (Dryinidae, Embolemidae & Bethylidae) by Michael Archer. Michael comments "I have produced these keys via Perkins although I am grateful for the help I have received from Olmi". Note: Olmi authored the key work to Fenno-Scandian DEBS (Olmi, 1994).
I am working on a second edition of my Naturalists' Handbook 24-Ants. In the new ones, the colour paintings and line drawings (except for keys) are being replaced by photos. I am hoping to take most of these and I am wondering if anyone is prepared to help me with precise locations of nests etc. for the more Southern and rarer species. I live in Yorkshire so have access to only about 17 species in my own county. I will send a list of what I need or post it on here later. Any information would be helpful, but I have had very good experiences with lat./long.
Hylaeus signatus male emerging from roost
Pseudomalus auratus
