Linepithema

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Linepithema: /ˌlaɪnɛpɪˈθiːmə/

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Summary

Linepithema is a genus of ants that includes the invasive Argentine ant, which has spread globally and forms supercolonies, impacting local ecosystems and economies.

Physical Characteristics

Small-bodied ants measuring 2.2–2.6 mm, dull light to dark brown in color; distinct promesonotal suture and a single abdominal pedicel without a sting or acidopore; soft flexible integument.

Identification Tips

Look for colonies with many workers and multiple queens. Colonies often nest in the ground, concrete cracks, or leaf litter, and are typically non-aggressive towards other colonies of their kind.

Habitat

Native to riparian floodplains, they nest in loose leaf litter or among small stones, and can also be found in urban and agricultural settings.

Distribution

Native range includes northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and southern Brazil, with invasive populations spread across the US and many global locations including Europe, Asia, Oceania, and islands.

Diet

Omnivorous, feeding on sugars from honeydew excreted by aphids and other plant pests, as well as small invertebrates.

Life Cycle

Colonies have seasonal activity with peaks in reproductive activity in late winter and early spring, where worker production increases until late fall, followed by a decline in winter.

Reproduction

Colonies usually have multiple queens, with a ratio of about eight queens for every 1,000 workers. Eggs are produced in late winter and hatch mainly into sexual forms by May.

Ecosystem Role

Displaces native ant species, affecting local ecosystems, and facilitates access by plant pests to crops.

Economic Impact

Considered a significant pest, causing harm in agricultural and urban settings, disrupting local ecosystems, and impacting species dependent on native ants.

Collecting Methods

• Pitfall traps
• Hand collecting from nests

Preservation Methods

• Ethanol preservation
• Drying specimens

Evolution

Initially classified in the genus Hypoclinea, then Iridomyrmex, and eventually placed in Linepithema in the early 1990s after genetic studies.

Similar Taxa

• Iridomyrmex
• Solenopsis

Misconceptions

Often mistaken for other small brown ant species; many believe they are benign, but they can cause significant ecological disruption.

Tags

• invasive species
• Argentine ant
• Linepithema
• supercolonies
• ants