Lasius Ants with The Biological Recording Company

Learn about ants of the genus Lasius, including familiar species such as the Yellow Meadow Ant and the Black Garden Ant.

This entoLEARN webinar will explore the species of ant within the genus Lasius that occur in the UK. Gary Skinner will explore aspects of their ecology, behaviour, distribution and identification.

Have your notepad and questions at the ready, as this 90-minute, live event, consists of a presentation, followed by Q&A with the tutor.

Can’t attend but don’t want to miss out? Book a space and you will receive a link to watch the event back, once the live event content has been processed. Book your place via The Biological Recording Company Eventbrite page.

What will you learn?

The Lasius genus encompasses a diverse and fascinating group of highly social ants, many of which are familiar sights in the UK. It includes the ubiquitous Black Garden Ant (Lasius niger), often noticed in spectacular numbers during warm summer “flying ant days,” when winged males and queens take to the air. Another notable member is the Yellow Meadow Ant (Lasius flavus), renowned for building distinctive soil mounds in undisturbed grassland—structures that can endure for decades. The genus also contains more unusual species such as Lasius umbratus, whose queens adopt a parasitic strategy by infiltrating and taking over the nests of other Lasius ants.

At the end of the session, learners should have a deeper understanding of the British Lasius species of ant:

• Lasius alienus
• Lasius brunneus (Brown Tree Ant)
• Lasius emarginatus
• Lasius flavus (Yellow Meadow Ant)
• Lasius fuliginosus (Jet Ant)
• Lasius meridionalis
• Lasius mixtus
• Lasius myops
• Lasius neglectus (Invasive Garden Ant)
• Lasius niger (Black Garden Ant)
• Lasius platythorax
• Lasius psammophilus
• Lasius sabularum
• Lasius umbratus

Also included in this entoLEARN programme is Learn About Myrmica Ants – 1 December 2026.

Image credit: Chris, CGBY via iRecord