The allogenic ecological engineer Lasius flavus (F.) is a keystone species in many grasslands, increasing their heterogeneity, creating microhabitats for many other species and considerably influencing soil ecology between the mounds. John Pontin mapped an-hills built by Lasius flavus at Wytham Woods between 1955 and 1962. They were mapped again 62 years later. The majority were still in their original positions. Ant-hills have a characteristic flora and fauna. A list is provided of those animal species strongly influenced by ant-hills, including those which might be absent from mature grasslands if ant-hills were absent.
