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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Ants (Formicoidea) » Ants (Formicidae) » Odorous Ants (Dolichoderinae) » Leptomyrmecini » Linepithema » Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile)
Photo#358794
Reality Check: Is this an Argentine ant? - Linepithema humile
Copyright © 2009 Ron Hemberger

Reality Check: Is this an Argentine ant? - Linepithema humile
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, California, USA
December 15, 2009

Images of this individual: tag all
Reality Check: Is this an Argentine ant tasting cochineal? Yes - Linepithema humile Reality Check: Is this an Argentine ant? Yes - Linepithema humile Reality Check: Is this an Argentine ant? - Linepithema humile
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Contributed by Ron Hemberger on 15 December, 2009 - 9:14pm
Last updated 16 December, 2009 - 10:50am

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Ron Hemberger, 16 December, 2009 - 10:50am login or register to post comments

Yes - Linepithema humile
Nice shot of a far less nice ant.
Fortunately, the recent climatic change has proven detrimental for this invasive species on the French Riviera, where it had wiped out virtually all indigenous ant species until the late eighties.
Nowadays, thanks to a diminution in abundance of the invader, a dozen of them have recovered and can be seen again, locally even on the sea-coast. This is far from the ancient faunal richness of the region, but better than nothing!
… Richard Vernier, 16 December, 2009 - 9:45am login or register to post comments

 
Thanks, Richard
It's by far the most common ant here in Southern California, though we're supposed to have some 800 species. Glad to hear the natives are staging a resurgence in your area.
… Ron Hemberger, 16 December, 2009 - 10:50am login or register to post comments

 
800 spp. is for all USA
Actually, once the various undescribed ones get named, perhaps closer to 1000 for NA north of Mexico. For California, 270 spp. are currently known, mostly in the desert and mountain areas. The coastal, Mediterranean-climate fauna has never been very species-rich, and has been greatly impoverished over a large territory occupied by L. humile.

See http://www.antweb.org/california.jsp
… James C. Trager, 16 December, 2009 - 1:27pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks, James, now I feel better.
Now I have only about 260 more to find! There's a lot of talk about biodiversity in SoCal, but I certainly think we're sparse on insects.
… Ron Hemberger, 16 December, 2009 - 1:56pm login or register to post comments

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