Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), an aggressive pest species introduced by human commerce to California, attack a native Pogonomyrmex harvester ant.  Native ants in many places around the world have disappeared in areas invaded by Argentine ants. 

Davis, California, USA
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), an aggressive pest species introduced by human commerce to California, attack a native Pogonomyrmex harvester ant.  Native ants in many places around the world have disappeared in areas invaded by Argentine ants. 

Davis, California, USA
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) fighting.  Argentine ants typically form large supercolonies comprising millions of ants and thousands of nests.  Within these massive supercolonies fighting is rare, but ants from neighboring supercolonies readily attack each other.

Córdoba, Argentina
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile tending scale insects on an orange tree in suburban California.

Davis, California, USA
A trail of Argentine ants, Linepithema humile.

Davis, California, USA
Linepithema humile, the Argentine ant.

Davis, California, USA
The odd insect at right is a male ant.  He looks nothing like his sisters, bearing wings and large eyes to better serve his role of dispersal and mating.

Davis, California, USA
A worker and queen Argentine ant, Linepithema humile.

Córdoba, Argentina
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile tending scale insects on an orange tree in suburban California.

Davis, California, USA
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), an aggressive pest species introduced by human commerce to California, attack a native Pogonomyrmex harvester ant. Native ants in many places around the world have disappeared in areas invaded by Argentine ants.

Davis, California, USA
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), an aggressive pest species introduced by human commerce to California, attack a native Pogonomyrmex harvester ant.  Native ants in many places around the world have disappeared in areas invaded by Argentine ants. 

Davis, California, USA
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), an aggressive pest species introduced by human commerce to California, attack a native Pogonomyrmex harvester ant. Native ants in many places around the world have disappeared in areas invaded by Argentine ants.

Davis, California, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013