Rugilus orbiculatus (Paykull, 1789)

This is a generally common species occurring from lowlands to about 1900m throughout Europe north to the UK and central Fennoscandia, it also occurs across Mediterranean Africa including the Azores, Canary Islands and Madeira, the Caucasus, Asia Minor and extends into southern Siberia, it has been recorded from Australia and, following introductions, is now established and widespread across North America, having been first recorded in the early twentieth century.  Here it is common throughout Wales and southern England, though more local and rare in the West Country, and extends sporadically north to the Scottish Highlands. Adults occur throughout the year and peak in abundance from April to June, they may be found in a wide range of habitats including woodland margins, grassland, agricultural land and gardens, they also occur among debris and litter on wetland margins and damp environments generally. In northern Europe they occur under debris and among litter in salt marshes and may be very abundant following storm surges and high tides.  During the warmer months they may be swept from grass and herbage in just about any situation but otherwise they occur among decaying plant material such as deep leaf litter, compost and hay stacks; they may be abundant in decaying grass cuttings and stored dung and straw mix, during the autumn we have often found them among decaying fungi and they also occur among winter flood refuse. This is generally our most frequently occurring member of the genus and should soon be found when sieving suitable material, adults superficially resemble ants, though they tend to move very slowly, and while the genus will quickly become familiar they will need to be examined carefully as there are several closely similar species.