Nesten van de reuzenmier Camponotus ligniperda in het noordwesten van haar verspreidingsgebied (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Nests of the carpenter ant Camponotus ligniperda in the northwestern part of its range (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Camponotus ligniperda (Latreille, 1802) is a rare ant species restricted to the eastern part of the Netherlands. Most records relate to a low number of workers. In this paper the species is reported for the first time from the province of Drenthe. Some ecological features of the groundnest are compared with the only other recent nest in the Netherlands. Both nests are located under a decidious tree which protects them from excessive precipitation. In contrast with reports from Germany and Sweden, nesting sites in buildings and houses are not known. It is suggested that the low chances for settlement in our country are due to the wet atlantic climate as well as competition with larger Formica species.