It has been divided into two subspecies, based on the size of the queens. One, M. r. macrogyna, has queens significantly larger than the workers, while the other, M. r. microgyna, has queens of a similar size to the workers. M. r. microgyna has a different distribution to M. r. macrogyna (restricted to northwestern Great Britain, for instance), and also differs from M. r. macrogyna in that the colonies also reproduce by "budding", while M. r. macrogyna only reproduces through mating flights. References Myrmica Hymenoptera of Asia Hymenoptera of Europe Insects described in 1846 Taxa named by William Nylander (botanist)