Camponotus herculeanus

31. Camponotus herculeanus (Linne, 1758)

Figs. 121,123.

Formica herculeana horni, 1758:579.

Workers. Bicoloured with alitrunk dull red to reddish black, head and gaster dull black.

Frons has deep close set punctures. Long pubescence on dorsum of first gaster tergite overlapping posterior border. Length: 5-12 mm.

Queen. Sides of alitrunk, propodeum and scale dull red, rest black; punctures and pubescence as in worker. Length: 14-17 mm.

Male. Entirely black, tarsi and funiculi paler; wings yellowish infuscate; head and gaster hairs sparse but present on all gaster tergitcs. Petiole scale has shallow dorsal emargination with raised sides rounded to blunt lateral angles.

Distribution. Throughout Fennoscandia; local in Denmark and absent from the British Isles. - Range: throughout mountain Europe and extending through Northern Eurasia from Norway to Eastern Siberia to the northernmost tree frontier in Arctic Norway.

Biology. This species is a typical denizen of shaded coniferous forest nesting in rotten stumps and occasionally mining in living trees. Fertilised females found nests singly. Alatae are developed in the late summer but overwinter to swarm in June.