Rare ant, first time on Texel island

This photo, by the California Academy of Sciences, shows a Temnothorax albipennis ant.

This species is rare in the Netherlands. It lives only in the west coast sand dunes, from Voorne to the Zwanenwater nature reserve.

Warden Erik van der Spek reports today that he found a Temnothorax albipennis ant in the Westerduinen sand dunes of Texel last summer. This is a first for the island, and also a first for anywhere north of Zwanenwater. It was a winged female.

Texel island spiders: here.

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