Linepithema humile

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Ivanov K (2016) Exotic ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Ohio. Journal of Hymenoptera Research (51) : 203–226, doi. Versioned wiki page: 2016-08-29, version 100420, https://species-id.net/w/index.php?title=Linepithema_humile&oldid=100420 , contributors (alphabetical order): Pensoft Publishers.

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BibTeX:

@article{Ivanov2016JournalofHymenopteraResearch,
author = {Ivanov, Kaloyan},
journal = {Journal of Hymenoptera Research},
publisher = {Pensoft Publishers},
title = {Exotic ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Ohio},
year = {2016},
volume = {},
issue = {51},
pages = {203--226},
doi = {10.3897/jhr.51.9135},
url = {http://jhr.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=9135},
note = {Versioned wiki page: 2016-08-29, version 100420, https://species-id.net/w/index.php?title=Linepithema_humile&oldid=100420 , contributors (alphabetical order): Pensoft Publishers.}

}

RIS/ Endnote:

TY - JOUR
T1 - Exotic ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Ohio
A1 - Ivanov K
Y1 - 2016
JF - Journal of Hymenoptera Research
JA -
VL -
IS - 51
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.51.9135
SP - 203
EP - 226
PB - Pensoft Publishers
M1 - Versioned wiki page: 2016-08-29, version 100420, https://species-id.net/w/index.php?title=Linepithema_humile&oldid=100420 , contributors (alphabetical order): Pensoft Publishers.

M3 - doi:10.3897/jhr.51.9135

Wikipedia/ Citizendium:

<ref name="Ivanov2016Journal of Hymenoptera Research">{{Citation
| author = Ivanov K
| title = Exotic ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Ohio
| journal = Journal of Hymenoptera Research
| year = 2016
| volume =
| issue = 51
| pages = 203--226
| pmid =
| publisher = Pensoft Publishers
| doi = 10.3897/jhr.51.9135
| url = http://jhr.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=9135
| pmc =
| accessdate = 2024-12-23

}} Versioned wiki page: 2016-08-29, version 100420, https://species-id.net/w/index.php?title=Linepithema_humile&oldid=100420 , contributors (alphabetical order): Pensoft Publishers.</ref>

See also the citation download page at the journal.


Taxonavigation

Ordo: Hymenoptera
Familia: Formicidae
Genus: Linepithema

Name

Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868)Wikispecies linkPensoft Profile

Distribution in Ohio

Northern Ohio. Counties: Cuyahoga (Cleveland, 27.x.2005 [KI 1176], 15.xi.2005 [KI 1177], and 01.iii.2015 [observed, not coll.], same locality, leg. K. Ivanov, in a greenhouse) and an unspecified Ohio record in Arnett (1993)[1], (Fig. 1).

Where found/Habitat

Indoors, in greenhouses and conservatories.

Origin

The Paraná River drainage basin of South America.

Natural history

The Argentine ant is amongst the world’s most successful invasive species and is a nuisance everywhere it occurs. It is established primarily in regions with Mediterranean climate where it has been shown to have profound negative impacts on native biota (Suarez et al. 1998[2]; Touyama et al. 2003[3]). Workers of this genus can be identified by their broadly concave clypeus and the peculiar mandibular dentition arranged in a series of small denticles interspersed with larger single teeth. In the Northeast Linepithema humile can be separated from the superficially similar Tapinoma by the presence of a well-developed petiolar scale and the vertical orientation of the first gastral segment which does not project over the petiole.
This cosmopolitan species often thrives in disturbed habitats with abundant moisture. Nests are most often in soil, but also under cover objects, refuse piles and more rarely under tree bark. The main dietary component is honeydew from hemipterans, although these ants will also take other sweet substances including household food items, and occasionally will feed on insects (Smith 1965[4]).
Throughout its introduced range Argentine ant colonies are polygynous with pronounced unicoloniality (i.e., the formation of large colonies with multiple nests). A key attribute to the ecological success of this species thus is the absence of intraspecific aggression within the large colony (Tsutsui and Case 2001[5]). These characteristics give argentine ant colonies remarkable capacity to expand, and populations can reach extremely large sizes and cover extensive geographic areas to the detriment of other, less populous, species (Giraud et al. 2002[6]).
Ohio’s only confirmed record of this species comes from a greenhouse in Cleveland where I have observed large numbers of ground foragers on paved surfaces, exposed soil, and on tropical plant debris on the ground. In many cases foragers were accumulating around sugar syrup stations, banana, apple and other fruit pieces used for feeding tropical butterflies. Due to logistical limitations, I was not able to conduct nest searches at this location. The very high worker densities observed, however, suggest that this species now has well-established indoor colonies at this site. At present, this species can survive in the north only in heated buildings, where occasionally it can be a persistent and troublesome pest.

Taxon Treatment

Images

Other References

  1. Arnett R (1993) American insects. A handbook of the insects of America north of Mexico. Sandhill Crane Press, Gainsville, 1–1024.
  2. Suarez A, Bolger D, Case T (1998) Effects of fragmentation and invasion on native ant communities in coastal southern California. Ecology 79: 2041–2056. doi: 10.1890/0012-9658(1998)079[2041:EOFAIO]2.0.CO;2
  3. Touyama Y, Ogata K, Sugiyama T (2003) The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, in Japan: Assessment of impact on species diversity of ant communities in urban environments. Entomological Science 6: 57–62. doi: 10.1046/j.1343-8786.2003.00008.x
  4. Smith M (1965) House-infesting ants of the eastern United States; their recognition, biology, and economic importance. USDA Technical Bulletin 1326: 1–105.
  5. Tsutsui N, Case T (2001) Population genetics and colony structure of the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) in its native and introduced ranges. Evolution 55: 976–985. doi: 10.1554/0014-3820(2001)055[0976:PGACSO]2.0.CO;2
  6. Giraud T, Pedersen J, Keller L (2002) Evolution of supercolonies: the Argentine ants of southern Europe. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 99: 6075–6079. doi: 10.1073/pnas.092694199