Feb.
11, 2013 — Researchers from North Carolina State University have found
that one of the most aggressive invasive ant species in the United States --
the Argentine ant -- appears to have met its match in the Asian needle ant.
Specifically, the researchers have found that the Asian needle ant is
successfully displacing Argentine ants in an urban environment, indicating that
the Asian needle ant -- with its venomous sting -- may be the next invasive
species to see a population boom.
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Asian needle ant stinging a termite.
(Credit: Benoit Guenard)
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In
the world of invasive species, the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) is a success story. Its aggressive, territorial
behavior and ability to create huge "supercolonies" -- consisting of
thousands of queens and millions of workers -- have enabled the Argentine ant
to spread across the United States, displacing native species and changing
ecosystems to suit its needs. No other ant species had been seen successfully
pushing back -- until now.
In
2008, while watching a supercolony of Argentine ants in an urban environment,
former NC State Ph.D. student Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice noticed that Asian needle
ants (Pachycondyla chinensis) were
living and working in the area. This was surprising because Argentine ants
normally do not tolerate any other ant species in their territory, so Spicer
Rice decided to investigate further.
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