About Tapinoma erraticum (Latreille, 1798)
The erratic ant, scientifically named Tapinoma erraticum, is a species of dolichoderine ant that was first described by Latreille in 1798. This species is distributed across central Europe, ranging from the mountains of southern Italy to northern Germany. It can also be found in coastal areas of southern England, as well as on the Swedish islands of Gotland and Öland. Tapinoma erraticum is a thermophilic species, and it occurs mainly on dry, sun-exposed heathland. Its worker ants are very agile, and are typically only visible when the sun is shining. The species can be easily told apart from superficially similar species such as Lasius niger by its habit of holding its gaster almost vertically when moving. Horace Donisthorpe noted that when the sun is covered by clouds, these ants disappear right away, and very few individuals can be found away from the nest on cold, cloudy days. Colonies of this species are usually small, though larger colonies sometimes develop. Donisthorpe recorded finding a notably large colony in Weybridge on July 29, 1913, where the dealated females and workers in this nest were the largest he had ever observed. These colonies are polygynous, and have been documented to hold up to 40 dealated females. Nests are shallow, and often include small solaria in their structure to focus solar heat onto the ants' brood. Nuptial flights for this species occur in June, though they may be delayed until July in colder years.
