Stats

Lifespan: Up to 1 yr
Size: Tiny
Diet: Omnivore
Activity: Cathemeral
Social: Colony
Biome: Subtropical wetland
Range: South America
Movement: Walking
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Herd Safety
Status: Common

About

A tiny but formidable invasive ant originally from South America, now established on every continent except Antarctica. Argentine ants form vast supercolonies where workers from distant nests recognise each other as nestmates and cooperate rather than fight, making them among the most ecologically disruptive insects on Earth.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2.
juvenile
An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3.
subadult
A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4.
adult
Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Genus: Linepithema
Species: Linepithema humile