Thomas Chouvenc identified a new invasive ant species in his Fort Lauderdale home.
Chouvenc, a UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher, noticed a trail of small, yellow ants marching across his kitchen counter. The invasive ant for Florida, plagiolepis alluaud, is called the yellow ant.
Before the yellow ant came to Florida’s mainland, it was found on Caribbean islands.
“Two or three ant researchers predicted that (the yellow ant) would be here and sure enough we eventually found it,” Chouvenc said.
The ant, a native of Madagascar, could be detrimental to Florida homeowners and the surrounding ecosystem, Chouvenc said. He has been studying the ant’s relationship with other insects and how to manage its population.
The yellow ant’s presence has boosted the population density of aphids, ladybugs and other insects, he said. This influx could result in the damage of plant nurseries and other agricultural businesses, he said.
“I found it interesting that when these ants show up, all these other pests show up at the same time,” Chouvenc said. “This ant is really, really good at tending to these insects; we have a symbiotic relationship here.”
Chouvenc said the yellow ant is almost impossible to detect until they’re at a high population density, making extermination difficult.
“If the population gets fully established, which I think to some extent it already is, this is going to be the new norm,” he said.
