Now Reading: Argentine ants form 6,000-km super-colony across European coasts
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Argentine ants form 6,000-km super-colony across European coasts
Argentine ants have formed a super-colony stretching about 6,000 kilometres along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Portugal, Spain, France and Italy, according to a study published in Proceedings of the National…
The Story in Brief
Argentine ants have formed a super-colony stretching about 6,000 kilometres along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Portugal, Spain, France and Italy, according to a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The colony links millions of nests and billions of ants, which recognise one another as allies rather than rivals.
The ants originated in South America and reached Europe through shipping during the 19th and 20th centuries. Their shared genetic and chemical signatures support cooperation between distant nests. Human activity continues to spread them through soil, plants and construction materials. The invasive ants compete with native species, disrupt seed dispersal and protect aphids for their honeydew.
The Indian Opinion
The super-colony should not be treated as a story of insect unity or as proof that nature always rewards cooperation. Its success also reflects human trade, heated buildings, irrigated parks and food waste. Claims that the ants simply form one uninterrupted underground city can overstate what the research shows, while alarmist accounts may ignore their ecological role as an invasive competitor. The practical test is whether native ant populations keep falling in invaded areas.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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