Even the smallest creature can have a huge impact, as one species of ant is demonstrating in New York City.
What's happening?
Since first being spotted in the Big Apple in 2011, the Lasius emarginatus — which is native to Europe — has settled and thrived in New York City, picking up the nickname "ManhattAnt."
A report published in the Biological Invasions journal, as described by NPR, has detailed that the ManhattAnt is now challenging the common pavement ant as the dominant ant species in the city.
Troublingly, scientists have also predicted that they may yet spread further than NYC, potentially expanding their range toward Maine in the north and Georgia in the south.
Why is the spread of these ants concerning?
While it might not seem like an ant can make a massive impact on an ecosystem, whole colonies can.
Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal from the University of Vermont told NPR that the spread of the species could harm local biodiversity.
"We're talking about a big, big issue here," he told the publication. "It's not like just a crazy ant running around Manhattan."
Research is being conducted to see how likely it is the ants will threaten native plant and insect species, but judging by impacts the insects have had in other areas they aren't supposed to be, scientists are concerned.
For example, NPR cited a study that found invasive ants in Kenya made notable enough changes to their new ecosystem that eventually led to lions eating fewer zebras, which threatened the population of the big cats.
What's being done about invasive species?
Regarding the ManhattAnt, people can log sightings of the species on the Project ManhattAnt section of the iNaturalist website, which also features pictures to help identify them. That should help inform research efforts to analyze the spread of the creature.
The invasive "ManhattAnt" has been infiltrating New York City since 2011, worrying scientists – who have finally figured out what species the larger-than-average, black-and-red ant is. https://t.co/3EBZsZVj3j
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 14, 2024
But ants aren't the only invasive insects setting up camp in New York City, with the spotted lanternfly also settling in. While the risks these critters pose to agriculture aren't so much of a concern in the concrete jungle of New York City, squishing the bugs and reporting sightings has been recommended in Pennsylvania, where they have spread rapidly.
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