Urban Ants

Urban ecosystems house artificial infrastructures such as ports, transport stations and commercial centres which are often introduction foci for exotic species. The connectivity of these structures to other centres specialised in commodity flows located in urban cores, enhances the accidental transport and spreading of exotic species which can become invasive. Despite this fact, targeted investigations to detect establishment of invasive species in tropical urban landscapes are lacking. A survey conducted on ant communities in 15 cities throughout Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa) allowed us to find the highly invasive tropical fire ant (TFA) Solenopsis geminata for the first time in the country. DNA analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) of two specimens of S. geminata found that they had a close genetic relationship with specimens from Venezuela. From the 15 towns surveyed throughout Côte d'Ivoire, this ant was discovered only in industrial areas of Abidjan near the port zone suggesting an early stage of invasion.

Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with an important proportion of endemism mainly because of the convergence of the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic regions, which generate great diversity and species turnover at different spatial scales. However, most of our knowledge of the Mexican ant biota is limited to a few well‐studied taxa, and we lack a comprehensive synthesis of ant biodiversity information. For instance, most of the knowledge available in the literature on Mexican ant fauna refers only to species lists by states, or is focused on only a few regions of the country, which prevents the study of several basic and applied aspects of ants, from diversity and distribution to conservation. Our aims in this data paper are therefore (1) to compile all the information available regarding ants across the Mexican territory, and (2) to identify major patterns in the gathered data set and geographic gaps in order to direct future sampling efforts. All re...

The relationships between an urban ecosystem located near the Atlantic Rainforest in southeastern Brazil and ant communities were studied with the objective of quantifying the ant richness and abundance in the household environment and its surroundings. Eighty residences were sampled, where 58 species and 28 genera pertaining to 7 subfamilies were found to be present. Inside the residences, the species richness was found to be lower (26), although the abundance was greater (10,670), with the wash area and kitchen being the locales that contributed with the greatest number of hits. The opposite was true in the areas outside the residences, where 54 species and 3,747 ants were observed. Inside houses, the species known as Tramp ants were found, in the following order of importance: Solenopsis saevissima, Tapinoma melanocephalum, Linepithema humile, Paratrechina fulva, Wasmannia auropunctata, P. longicornis, Pheidole megacephala, Monomorium pharaonis and M. floricola. Externally, mainly in the yards and gardens, species such as Octostruma rugifera, Heteroponera dolo, Hypoponera sp.1 and sp.6, Gnamptogenys sp. 4, G. striatula, Odontomachus meinerti, Pachycondyla constricta and P. striata were found. In general, a greater number of species and lower abundance of individuals were observed in the neighborhoods nearer the mountains than in those closer to the urban center.

Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with an important proportion of endemism mainly because of the convergence of the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic regions, which generate great diversity and species turnover at different spatial scales. However, most of our knowledge of the Mexican ant biota is limited to a few well‐studied taxa, and we lack a comprehensive synthesis of ant biodiversity information. For instance, most of the knowledge available in the literature on Mexican ant fauna refers only to species lists by states, or is focused on only a few regions of the country, which prevents the study of several basic and applied aspects of ants, from diversity and distribution to conservation. Our aims in this data paper are therefore (1) to compile all the information available regarding ants across the Mexican territory, and (2) to identify major patterns in the gathered data set and geographic gaps in order to direct future sampling efforts. All re...

Ants are among the organisms best adapted to urban environments. Those found in hospital settings have received much attention and have been described as important vectors of pathogenic organisms. This study aimed to compare the richness and abundance of ants in four hospitals in southern Brazil and to analyze the association of species in different hospitals environments. Four types of environments were sampled: wards of intensive care units (iCU's), nutrition centers, infirmaries, and warehouses. The sample richness in each of the four areas was compared using a rarefaction analysis based on number of occurrences. To assess the association between ant species and hospital environments, a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was constructed. Twenty (20) species were identified. The nutrition sector was the environment with the highest richness (S = 14), followed by infirmaries (S = 7), warehouses (S = 7), and ICU wards (S = 4). Five species were associated with the environments e...

The objective of this study was to identify ant occurrence in hospital environments in the State of Santa Catarina, along with associated bacteria. Ants were collected monthly from five inpatient clinics in two hospitals in the municipality of Chapecó, from August 2003 to June 2004. They were collected under aseptic conditions using swabs moistened with sterile distilled water and put into test tubes containing BHI for microbiological analysis. After 24 hours, cultures were made in both 5% sheep blood and MacConkey agar, which were incubated for 24 hours at 35/37°C. The Gram characterization, culture identification and biochemical characterization followed standardized rules for clinical microbiology. Seven species of ants were identified, of which the most frequent were Monomorium pharaonis (71.5%) and Solenopsis saevissima (57%), and nineteen species of bacteria was isolated from hospital "A".

Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with an important proportion of endemism mainly because of the convergence of the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic regions, which generate great diversity and species turnover at different spatial scales. However, most of our knowledge of the Mexican ant biota is limited to a few well‐studied taxa, and we lack a comprehensive synthesis of ant biodiversity information. For instance, most of the knowledge available in the literature on Mexican ant fauna refers only to species lists by states, or is focused on only a few regions of the country, which prevents the study of several basic and applied aspects of ants, from diversity and distribution to conservation. Our aims in this data paper are therefore (1) to compile all the information available regarding ants across the Mexican territory, and (2) to identify major patterns in the gathered data set and geographic gaps in order to direct future sampling efforts. All re...

Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with an important proportion of endemism mainly because of the convergence of the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic regions, which generate great diversity and species turnover at different spatial scales. However, most of our knowledge of the Mexican ant biota is limited to a few well‐studied taxa, and we lack a comprehensive synthesis of ant biodiversity information. For instance, most of the knowledge available in the literature on Mexican ant fauna refers only to species lists by states, or is focused on only a few regions of the country, which prevents the study of several basic and applied aspects of ants, from diversity and distribution to conservation. Our aims in this data paper are therefore (1) to compile all the information available regarding ants across the Mexican territory, and (2) to identify major patterns in the gathered data set and geographic gaps in order to direct future sampling efforts. All re...

Some ant species are highly abundant in cities, may form huge unicolonial populations with thousands of individuals able to displace native fauna, and impoverish ecological relationships in urban environments. In this work, we study the ant community in two neighborhoods with different urban profiles, one recently populated and another from the 1900s in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Two hundred and ninety houses were sampled with baits for ant collections. Results show that the recent urbanized neighborhood with greater disturbance favors opportunistic and dominant species to colonize it, like Tapinoma melanocephalum. We also made a temporal analysis in the ancient neighborhood, collecting ants after ten years from a first survey. T. melanocephalum has a broader range than ten years ago, displaced other ant species, but confronts with Pheidole megacephala that was not found in the recent urbanized neighborhood.

Kajian mengenai komposisi spesies, kelimpahan bermusim, pemilihan makanan dan kawalan terhadap semut yang menginfestasi bangunan kediaman pelajar telah dijalankan di Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang. A study on species composition, seasonal abundance, food preferences and control of structure-infesting ants was carried out in students housing in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang

Urban ecosystems house artificial infrastructures such as ports, transport stations and commercial centres which are often introduction foci for exotic species. The connectivity of these structures to other centres specialised in commodity flows located in urban cores, enhances the accidental transport and spreading of exotic species which can become invasive. Despite this fact, targeted investigations to detect establishment of invasive species in tropical urban landscapes are lacking. A survey conducted on ant communities in 15 cities throughout Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa) allowed us to find the highly invasive tropical fire ant (TFA) Solenopsis geminata for the first time in the country. DNA analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) of two specimens of S. geminata found that they had a close genetic relationship with specimens from Venezuela. From the 15 towns surveyed throughout Côte d'Ivoire, this ant was discovered only in industrial areas of Abidjan near the port zone suggesting an early stage of invasion.

The present investigation deals with some aspects of the diversity of fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in their native range. The Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis invicta is native to the tropical and subtropical inland territories of South America. In Brazil, it mainly occurs around the Pantanal region and across the Paraguay river, a region composed of grasslands which are seasonally flooded. Recent studies have evidenced this fire ant species is gradually spreading to other regions of Brazil. In the present investigation, we surveyed the molecular diversity of S. invicta populations across fragments of Atlantic Forest in São Paulo, Brazil, using mtDNA COI haplotypes. Fire ant nests were sampled along the highways lining the northern and southern slope sides of the mountain range Serra do Mar, SP, Brazil. Four haplotypes were identified (H1–H4), which were assessed for similarity to deposited records by other authors, revealing that the haplotypes H1 and H2 are likely of foreig...

One thousand four hundred seventy-seven botanical specimens represented by urban trees and palm trees, found in gardens, public squares and streets in the area of Cidade Jardim, a district in Sao Paulo, Brazil, were evaluated from 2004 to 2008. The aim was to determine which species of carpenter ants are there, assess the presence of infection in the tree population and highlight the relationship between these pests with native and exotic species, and perform curative treatments aiming at the control besides qualifying their efficiency. A census of trees on site determined 29 families and 52 botanical specimens. The carpenter ant Camponotus atriceps, Camponotus crassus, Camponotus sericeiventris, Camponotus rufipes, Camponotus renggeri, and a species called Camponotus sp. 1, were identified in the study area. C. atriceps proved to be predominant in all plant species studied, but with greater significance in Caesalpinia rainy var.peltophoroides (Caesalpiniaceae) and Tipuana tipu (Tipuana). The other species were found at negligible levels, with no preference for any of the components of trees. C. rufipes was significantly found in palm trees, being prone to appear in the Arecaceae family.

Background: The present study aimed to identify and characterize the presence of bacteria carried by ants, and check the distribution of these ants in the physical confines of a medium-sized hospital in São Paulo county, Brazil. Methods: The ants were collected from March 2012 to February 2013. Attractive non-toxic baits were used to catch the ants, and the sectors considered for the study were medical wards, outdoor areas, obstetric unit, reception area, kitchen, surgical centres, paediatric clinic and intensive care unit. Captured ants were classified using taxonomic keys and subsequently immersed in Brain Heart Infusion broth. Results: Paratrechina spp. and Monomorium floricola ants were found most frequently in the hospital. Ants had a high capacity for carrying bacteria, and the isolates comprised 68.8% Gram-positive, spore-producing bacilli (Bacillus spp. and Listeria spp.); 14.7% Gram-negative bacilli (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella spp.); and 16.4% Gram-positive cocci (Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus aureus). Among the areas being evaluated, the medical wards had the largest number of ants captured, and therefore the most bacteria. Conclusions: Ants in hospitals may carry both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and methods of controlling urban ants should be adopted and strictly adhered to, to minimize the risk of infection in hospital patients.

Ants are among the organisms best adapted to urban environments. Those found in hospital settings have received much attention and have been described as important vectors of pathogenic organisms. This study aimed to compare the richness and abundance of ants in four hospitals in southern Brazil and to analyze the association of species in different hospitals environments. Four types of environments were sampled: wards of intensive care units (iCU's), nutrition centers, infirmaries, and warehouses. The sample richness in each of the four areas was compared using a rarefaction analysis based on number of occurrences. To assess the association between ant species and hospital environments, a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was constructed. Twenty (20) species were identified. The nutrition sector was the environment with the highest richness (S = 14), followed by infirmaries (S = 7), warehouses (S = 7), and ICU wards (S = 4). Five species were associated with the environments e...

The worldwide transfer of plants and animals outside their native ranges is an ever increasing problem for global biodiversity. Ants are no exception and many species have been transported to new locations often with profound negative impacts on local biota. The current study is based on data gathered since the publication of the "Ants of Ohio" in 2005. Here I expand on our knowledge of Ohio's myrmecofauna by contributing new records, new distributional information and natural history notes. The list presented here contains 10 species with origins in a variety of geographic regions, including South America, Europe, Asia, and Indo-Australia. Two distinct groups of exotics, somewhat dissimilar in their geographic origin, occur in Ohio: a) 3 species of temperate Eurasian origin that have established reproducing outdoor populations; and b) 7 tropical tramp species currently confined to man-made structures. Only Nylanderia flavipes (Smith, 1874) is currently seen to be of concern although its effects on local ant communities appear to be restricted largely to already disturbed habitats. A systematic sampling of disturbed areas, urban sites, plant nurseries and conservatories, where new arrivals can be expected, would extend and build upon our current knowledge of Ohio's exotic ant fauna.

Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with an important proportion of endemism mainly due to the convergence of the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic regions, which generate great diversity and species turnover at different spatial scales. However, most of our knowledge of the Mexican ant biota is limited to a few well-studied taxa, and we lack a comprehensive synthesis of ant biodiversity information. For instance, most of the knowledge available in the literature on Mexican12 ant fauna refers only to species lists by states, or is focused on only a few regions of the country, which prevents the study of several basic and applied aspects of ants, from diversity and distribution to conservation. Our aims in this data paper are therefore to (i) compile all the information available regarding ants across the Mexican territory, and (ii)identify major patterns in the gathered dataset and geographic gaps in order to direct future sampling efforts. All records were obtained from raw data, including both unpublished and published information. After exhaustive filtering and updating information and synonyms, we compiled a total of 21,731 records for 887 ant species distributed throughout Mexico from 1894 to 2018. These records were concentrated mainly in the states of Chiapas (n= 6,902, 32.76%) and Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave
(n= 4,329, 19.92%), which together comprise half the records. The subfamily with the highest number of records was Myrmicinae (n=10,458 records, 48.12%), followed by Formicinae (n= 3,284, 15.11%) and Ponerinae (n= 1,914, 8.8%). Most ant records were collected in the Neotropical region of the country (n= 12,646, 58.19%), followed by the
Mexican transition zone (n= 5,237, 24.09%) and the Nearctic region (n= 3,848, 17.72%). Native species comprised 95.46% of the records (n= 20,745). To the best of our knowledge, this is the most complete data set available to date in the literature for the country. We hope that this compilation will encourage researchers to explore different aspects of the population and community research of ants at different spatial scales, and to aid in the establishment of conservation policies and actions. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using its data for publications or teaching events.

Several ant species have association to human structures in Brazil and their presence promotes problems such as contamination of food, damage to electronic appliances, and allergies due to the their venom. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of a methoprene-based bait against different ant species. The study site was the Instituto Biológico, a research institute in Brazil with severe ant infestation in critical areas. Prior to control trials a survey revealed four ant species distributed on the six floors of the main building. Evaluations of baits efficacy was performed on the right side of the building and after 18 wks all ant species showed lower infestations compared to the initial ones.

The landscapes of the South and Southeast regions of Brazil are a mosaic of agroecosystems and vegetation in different stages of preservation, shapes and sizes and sizes and this changes the community structure of ants. Diversity of ants was compared in three different environments: orange orchard, lemon orchard and a forest fragment of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome, in the northwestern part of the State of Paraná, Brazil by a sampling method using pitfall traps. Both richness and diversity of the species of ants were broader in the forest fragment than in the orchards; the fauna components were distributed rather homogeneously, as shown by the indices of equitability. The proximity of the areas sampled and the orchard management could be the main reasons to explain why all the species trapped in the experiments were found at least once in the forest remnant, whereas some groups of ants were not found in the orchards. Furthermore, the species of antes which were collected from the agricultural areas were mostly generalists and less diverse, leading to a monopoly of resources by a few, more prolific species. On the contrary, the ants living in forested areas were more diverse, where fewer individuals were found per species, and these were expected to be more specialized. The establishment of citrus orchards near the forest fragments may facilitate invasion by ants, especially the opportunistic species.

Urban ecosystems house artificial infrastructures such as ports, transport stations and commercial centres which are often introduction foci for exotic species. The connectivity of these structures to other centres specialised in commodity flows located in urban cores, enhances the accidental transport and spreading of exotic species which can become invasive. Despite this fact, targeted investigations to detect establishment of invasive species in tropical urban landscapes are lacking. A survey conducted on ant communities in 15 cities throughout Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa) allowed us to find the highly invasive tropical fire ant (TFA) Solenopsis geminata for the first time in the country. DNA analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) of two specimens of S. geminata found that they had a close genetic relationship with specimens from Venezuela. From the 15 towns surveyed throughout Côte d'Ivoire, this ant was discovered only in industrial areas of Abidjan near the port zone suggesting an early stage of invasion.

Uberlândia, MG, Brazil, underwent an accelerated process of urbanization with a population growth of 3,54% each year, higher than the national average. One of the problems emergent from urbanization is the use of different habitats for a great variety of insects. The objective of this study was to identify species of house-invading ants that occur in the urban area of Uberlândia. The occurrence of the house-invading species in regard to the time of urbanization, neighborhood infrastructure, age and maintenance of private houses was also assessed. The ants were collected using bait-traps in 120 residences from 12 neighborhoods which were put in three groups. Fourteen species of ants were catalogued, with Camponotus (Mayr), Monomorium (Mayr) and Tapinoma (Foerster) being the most frequent genera. Only Camponotus vittatus (Forel), Monomorium pharaonis (L.), Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) and Brachymyrmex sp. (Mayr) were collected in all three groups. The relation between the ants ...

Uberlândia, MG, Brazil, underwent an accelerated process of urbanization with a population growth of 3,54% each year, higher than the national average. One of the problems emergent from urbanization is the use of different habitats for a great variety of insects. The objective of this study was to identify species of house-invading ants that occur in the urban area of Uberlândia. The occurrence of the house-invading species in regard to the time of urbanization, neighborhood infrastructure, age and maintenance of private houses was also assessed. The ants were collected using bait-traps in 120 residences from 12 neighborhoods which were put in three groups. Fourteen species of ants were catalogued, with Camponotus (Mayr), Monomorium (Mayr) and Tapinoma (Foerster) being the most frequent genera. Only Camponotus vittatus (Forel), Monomorium pharaonis (L.), Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) and Brachymyrmex sp. (Mayr) were collected in all three groups. The relation between the ants collected and the age and maintenance of the private houses showed that Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) was most frequent (60%) in poorly preserved or precarious constructions. Whereas, C. vittatus and Camonotus melanoticus (Emery) occurred in all categories of maintenance. Overall, C. vittatus which had not been found in any previously published survey of urban ants, was the most frequent species in urban areas of the Cerrado.

Ants are a very rich and cosmopolitan group of insects. The ants’ colonies are composed by different castes, in which each individual has its function in the colony (i.e. workers, soldiers, and the queen). This amazing organization in castes is the main responsible for their evolutionary success and their adaptation in distinct types of habitats. Two thousand species of ants in Brazil have already been described, and almost 50 of them adapted to live in urban habitats. Ants are considered urban pests, mainly because they physically carry disease organisms and because they damage household appliances. We sampled urban ants in the city of Jataí - GO, located in a region of Brazilian Cerrado, in the Southwest of the State of Goiás. To better demonstrate the ant fauna of this region, we sampled the ants inside houses and in the backyards. We tested if (1) the species richness is higher in backyards than inside houses. We also tested whether (2) ant species composition differs from those...

The spread and establishment of alien species into new regions is becoming commonplace with increased global trade and a warming climate. Ants are among the most successful of these species due to their relatively small size and adaptability. The southeastern United States has been particularly susceptible to the introduction of alien ant species as a result of its geographic location and large number of shipping ports. A subset of these alien species is considered invasive based on their overall negative impacts to natural ecosystems and to humans. During recent years, several of these species have shown marked dispersal in the Southeast. Here, we give a brief overview of some less well-known invasive ants and their distributions in the southeastern United States.

Ants are found worldwide playing an important environmental role. Some species are considered as agricultural pests and potential risk to human life and public health acting as pathogens carriers. Ants as Paratrechina longicornis and Camponotus spp. have been found inside hospitals. The aim of this study was the research of mycobacteria in 138 samples of ants (137 Paratrechina longicornis and only one Camponotus spp.) which got into the laboratories of tuberculosis diagnosis. These ants were suspended in sterile saline solution and inoculated into Petragnani and Stonebrink media, incubated at 37° C until 90 days and the isolates were identified as environmental mycobacteria (1 Mycobacterium fortuitum peregrinum, 1 Mycobacterium smegmatis) and 1 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. These results showed that ants should also act as mechanical vectors of mycobacteria dissemination in risk environments, reinforcing their significance in public health.

The spread and establishment of alien species into new regions is becoming commonplace with increased global trade and a warming climate. Ants are among the most successful of these species due to their relatively small size and adaptability. The southeastern United States has been particularly susceptible to the introduction of alien ant species as a result of its geographic location and large number of shipping ports. A subset of these alien species is considered invasive based on their overall negative impacts to natural ecosystems and to humans. During recent years, several of these species have shown marked dispersal in the Southeast. Here, we give a brief overview of some less well-known invasive ants and their distributions in the southeastern United States.

Ants are among the organisms best adapted to urban environments. Those found in hospital settings have received much attention and have been described as important vectors of pathogenic organisms. This study aimed to compare the richness and abundance of ants in four hospitals in southern Brazil and to analyze the association of species in different hospitals environments. Four types of environments were sampled: wards of intensive care units (iCU's), nutrition centers, infirmaries, and warehouses. The sample richness in each of the four areas was compared using a rarefaction analysis based on number of occurrences. To assess the association between ant species and hospital environments, a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was constructed. Twenty (20) species were identified. The nutrition sector was the environment with the highest richness (S = 14), followed by infirmaries (S = 7), warehouses (S = 7), and ICU wards (S = 4). Five species were associated with the environments e...

During a ten-days ant course carried out in November 2012 within the framework of a Belgian Focal Point to the Global Taxonomy Initiative GTI type 2 grant, eight students and four instructors collected 22 ant species at ten sites distributed along an altitudinal gradient on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos Archipelago (Ecuador). Disturbed and urbanized zones as well as natural areas were visited. We discuss the results and link the collected species to altitude and vegetation types occurring on Santa Cruz Island.

The relationships between an urban ecosystem located near the Atlantic Rainforest in southeastern Brazil and ant communities were studied with the objective of quantifying the ant richness and abundance in the household environment and its surroundings. Eighty residences were sampled, where 58 species and 28 genera pertaining to 7 sub-families were found to be present. Inside the residences, the species richness was found to be lower (26), although the abundance was greater (10,670), with the wash area and kitchen being the locales that contributed with the greatest number of hits. The opposite was true in the areas outside the residences, where 54 species and 3,747 ants were observed. Inside houses, the species known as Tramp ants were found, in the following order of importance: Solenopsis -saevissima, Tapinoma melanocephalum, Linepithema humile, Paratrechina fulva, Wasmannia -auropunctata, P. -longicornis, Pheidole megacephala, Monomorium pharaonis and M. floricola. Externally, m...

The sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis is an important pest of sugarcane and ants are one of its main predators. The practice of burning sugarcane straw in situ after harvest has been gradually replaced in Brazil by other practices. However, it is unknown whether ants can control the abundance of this borer in the presence of straw. In this study, we assessed the diversity and species composition of ants attacking different stages of the pest's life cycle. Specifically, we asked whether the species richness and abundance of ants varies during the course of day and a year. We established one-hectare plots at random locations in a sugarcane plantation. Once a month, we collected 20 samples of each stage of the D. saccharalis life cycle and randomly distributed these samples as bait on plants spaced 20 m apart within a plot. Ants were collected daily in the morning and afternoon over a period of 12 months. We identified several aspects of ant feeding behaviour that may affect their biological control of the borer: (1) the greatest number of ants were collected from baits consisting of the immature stages of the sugarcane borer, (2) ants were most active in the morning and (3) their activity varied from month to month. Solenopsis saevissima and morphotypes of Crematogaster sp.7 and Pheidole sp.35 are potentially important predators of borers in sugarcane crops in which the straw is not burnt.

At fixed bait stations in a large institutional setting in Brazil, the temporal and spatial pattern of usage of the dominant species of ant was studied. The ant Crematogaster cf. magnifica, was found in 91% of sampling points. These studies were conducted using the same points as a previous study of the then dominant ant, Monomorium pharaonis, which was found to have declined from 93% to 3% spatial point occupation. The frequency of point usage during this study was significantly different from the Poisson distribution for both species, indicating non-random use of space. Crematogaster cf. magnifica was significantly more spatially exclusive than had been documented for M. pharaonis, and the probability of points originally occupied by M. pharaonis later becoming occupied by C. cf. magnifica was in excess of 90%. Temporal bait exploitation patterns of the two species did not differ. These data demonstrate that structural ant communities can change over time without human intervention, although short-term stability is characteristic of the urban dominant ants in subtropical Brazil.

The Douala harbour represents the main gateway through which human activities introduce invasive ants, so that Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius, 1804) originating from Neotropics has been reported in several areas of the Littoral region of Cameroon. But nothing is known about the ant community structure and composition of the coastal zone. We hypothesized that environmental perturbations around Douala have repercussions on the native litter-dwelling ants. Collections conducted in 33 houses, six gardens of 225 m² each, 41 plantations of one hectare each and 34 two-year old fallows of one hectare each suggested lowly even communities, low species richness, low diversity and low dominance by a few species. Among 28 species recorded four species were mostly represented: two foreign origin species [S. geminata (Fabricius, 1804) and Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerdon, 1851), from tropical America and India respectively], one native species [Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius, 1793)] and two ambiguous native range species [Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille, 1802) and Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793)] since they have long been recorded as having a widespread distribution. Alien species were highly represented than native ones (52.9% and 47.1% respectively, p<0.001). Inside houses, gardens and plantations the ant species were distributed according to the geometrical progression (Motomura's model) while in the old fallows abundance distribution suggested an evolved ecosystem (Mandelbrot's model). Between the three dominant species [Pa. longicornis (Latreille, 1802), Ph. megacephala (Fabricius) and S. geminata (Fabricius)], the first species was positively correlated with the third one while other associations were not significant. These dominant species appeared influencing the abundance of the rare species. Dominance and high abundance of a few species indicated that areas were influenced mostly by interspecies competition and/or disturbance by human activities.

The relationships between an urban ecosystem located near the Atlantic Rainforest in southeastern Brazil and ant communities were studied with the objective of quantifying the ant richness and abundance in the household environment and its surroundings. Eighty residences were sampled, where 58 species and 28 genera pertaining to 7 sub-families were found to be present. Inside the residences, the species richness was found to be lower (26), although the abundance was greater (10,670), with the wash area and kitchen being the locales that contributed with the greatest number of hits. The opposite was true in the areas outside the residences, where 54 species and 3,747 ants were observed. Inside houses, the species known as Tramp ants were found, in the following order of importance: Solenopsis -saevissima, Tapinoma melanocephalum, Linepithema humile, Paratrechina fulva, Wasmannia -auropunctata, P. -longicornis, Pheidole megacephala, Monomorium pharaonis and M. floricola. Externally, m...

RESUMEN Las hormigas urbanas son comunes y de mucha importancia para el ser humano, por los efectos que ejercen en las viviendas o por ser vectores de patógenos. En la presente nota se documenta la presencia de un nido de Camponotus atriceps (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) en el interior de un armario metálico en un laboratorio de investigación en la Universidad Simón Bolívar (Caracas, Venezuela). Este registro constituye uno de los pocos para esta especie en estructuras metálicas, ya que en su mayoría, suelen ocupar estructuras de madera. ABSTRACT Urban ants are common and have a great importance for humans, for the effects in the houses or for being vectors of pathogens. The present paper reports the presence of a nest of Camponotus atriceps (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) inside a metal cabinet in a research laboratory at Simón Bolívar University (Caracas, Venezuela). This report constitutes one of the few records for this species in metallic structures, since they usually occupy wooden structures.

Urban ecosystems house artificial infrastructures such as ports, transport stations and commercial centres which are often introduction foci for exotic species. The connectivity of these structures to other centres specialised in commodity flows located in urban cores, enhances the accidental transport and spreading of exotic species which can become invasive. Despite this fact, targeted investigations to detect establishment of invasive species in tropical urban landscapes are lacking. A survey conducted on ant communities in 15 cities throughout Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa) allowed us to find the highly invasive tropical fire ant (TFA) Solenopsis geminata for the first time in the country. DNA analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) of two specimens of S. geminata found that they had a close genetic relationship with specimens from Venezuela. From the 15 towns surveyed throughout Côte d'Ivoire, this ant was discovered only in industrial areas of Abidjan near the port zone suggesting an early stage of invasion.

Avaliação comparativa de iscas atrativas a partir da riqueza de espécies de formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) numa floresta de Eucalyptus grandis, em Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil Comparative evaluation of attractive baits through ant species richness (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a Eucalyptus grandis plantation in Santa

Paratrechina fulva (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) was observed tending Cerataphis brasiliensis, Hempel (Hemiptera: Aphididae) aphids on Australian Royal Palm and scales (Hemiptera: Pseudoccidae) on Chinese Windmill Palm. In both cases first stage nymphs were recorded being carried by ant workers. Young scales were seen taken into the ant nest. Predation on Brassolis sophorae (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) pupae was also recorded. The several larval stages are not predated probably due to the great amount of thin hairs dispersed on larva integument. RESUMO COMPORTAMENTO DE PREDAÇÃO E INTERAÇÃO DE PARATRECHINA FULVA (MAYR) (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE) COM INSETOS FITÓFAGOS DE PALMEIRAS. Paratrechina fulva (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) foi observada associando-se com Cerataphis brasiliensis, Hempel (Hemiptera: Aphididae) em Palmeira Real e com cochonilhas (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) em Palmeira Moinho de Vento. Foram observadas operárias da formiga carregando ninfas de primeiro ínstar das duas espécies de insetos sugadores. Estágios imaturos da espécie de cochonilha foram observados sendo levados para dentro do ninho de P. fulva Neste trabalho relata-se, ainda, a predação de pupas de Brassolis sophorae (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) pelas formigas. Os estágios larvais do lepidóptero não são predados devido a grande quantidade de cerdas dispersas no integumento das lagartas.

RESUMO Um levantamento por meio de iscas não tóxicas revelou 10 espécies de formigas em um pequeno hospital na região sudeste do Brasil. A espécie mais abundante foi Monomorium floricola seguida de Paratrechina longicornis. Ambas distribuíram-se em vários setores, sendo que a segunda espécie não ocorria nos locais onde a densidade de M. floricola era maior, porém o contrário foi observado. Linepithema humile foi encontrada na área externa e sua ocorrência excluiu outras espécies de formigas. ABSTRACT URBAN ANTS DISTRIBUTION IN A HOSPITAL IN THE SOUTHEAST OF BRAZIL. Baiting studies in a small private hospital revealed 10 ant species. The prevalent one was Monomorium floricola, followed by Paratrechina longicornis. When M. pharaonis density was high P. longicornis was not observed but the opposite was found. Linepithema humile was not collected inside but its occurrence was observed in the external area, excluding other ant species.

This study aimed to analyze the species composition and functional groups of the ant community and to assess the efficiency of two sampling methods, pitfall and leaf litter sampling, in an urban park. A total of 1,401 ants were collected, which belonged to six subfamilies and 36 species. The predominant species was Wasmannia auropunctata (present in 45.36% of the samples), while the functional group of opportunistic ants were the most frequent (present in 83.75% of the samples) and abundant (95.29% of the total collected specimens) functional group. The Jaccard Similarity Index showed a low similarity between the two sampling methods, as the difference of the number of individuals for each species between these two methods was not significant in only one case (Linepithema sp. 1, p = 0.4561). The fungus-growing and cryptic ants were more collected in leaf litter samples (p<0.0001; p = 0.0348 respectively). Although there was no significant difference (p = 0.6397) between the two sampling methods for the total individuals of op-portunistic ants, more species of this group were collected in pitfall traps. This difference was not significant because of the high presence of W. auropunctata, an opportunistic ant, in samples of leaf litter. Due to the predominance of tramp ants in the studied area, this article illustrates the importance of green urban areas in ant control strategies, since these sites could be used as a source of new colonization for these ants. Furthermore, the combination of the two sampling methods seems to be complementary for obtaining a more complete picture of the ant community.

The relationships between an urban ecosystem located near the Atlantic Rainforest in southeastern Brazil and ant communities were studied with the objective of quantifying the ant richness and abundance in the household environment and its surroundings. Eighty residences were sampled, where 58 species and 28 genera pertaining to 7 sub-families were found to be present. Inside the residences, the species richness was found to be lower (26), although the abundance was greater (10,670), with the wash area and kitchen being the locales that contributed with the greatest number of hits. The opposite was true in the areas outside the residences, where 54 species and 3,747 ants were observed. Inside houses, the species known as Tramp ants were found, in the following order of importance: Solenopsis saevissima, Tapinoma melanocephalum, Linepithema humile, Paratrechina fulva, Wasmannia auropunctata, P. longicornis, Pheidole megacephala, Monomorium pharaonis and M. floricola. Externally, mainly in the yards and gardens, species such as Octostruma rugifera, Heteroponera dolo, Hypoponera sp.1 and sp.6, Gnamptogenys sp. 4, G. striatula, Odontomachus meinerti, Pachycondyla constricta and P. striata were found. In general, a greater number of species and lower abundance of individuals were observed in the neighborhoods nearer the mountains than in those closer to the urban center.

Solenopsis invicta viruses (SINVs) were surveyed in samples collected in municipalities of São Paulo and Minas Gerais States, Brazil, using a multiplex RT-PCR method. Species identification was performed by mitochondrial COI gene sequencing. All three SINVs described in the US were detected in Brazil but with low prevalence. Detection of a highly divergent SINV-3 haplotype indicates that other variants might exist in Brazil and may have passed undetected by the primers employed. Predominance of S. saevissima in samples collected in the countryside contrasts with the predominance of S. invicta in São Paulo city.

To evaluate the potential of ants as vectors of mycobacteria in a hospital specialized in the care of patients with tuberculosis of the São Paulo State, Brazil, ants were collected from different areas between 2008 and 2010. Procedures for isolation and identification of mycobacteria were performed, and the material was inoculated into specifics culture media. The suggestive cultures were subjected to Ziehl-Neelsen stain for acid-fast bacilli and identification was performed by molecular methods (PRA with the gender-specific pair of primers TB11-TB12 and genetic sequencing). Preliminary data shows that of 210 processed samples, seven fast-growing mycobacteria were isolated (2 Mycobacterium chelonae, 1 Mycobacterium chubuense, 1 Mycobacterium murale and 3 not identified yet). M. chelonae was previously reported as causative agent of abscess in humans. These data confer that ants can carry mycobacteria, acting as mechanical vectors and a factor of potential risk of infection for patients and health professionals.

The aim of this study was to compare the structure of ant communities in two neighborhoods (Itaquera and Vila Mariana) with different urban profiles in the city of São Paulo. It also aims to establish the relationship between habits of the residents, the state of conservation and cleaning of homes and distribution of the ant fauna. It was also performed a temporal assessment of ant community in Vila Mariana, comparing the results of surveys carried out in 1998/1999 with results from the collections in 2009/2011. Samples were taken in 292 homes using baits and manual collections. Questionnaires with data on the habits and characteristics of residents and maintenance of asepsis and residences were performed. The most collected species in 1999 and 2010, in both neighborhoods was Tapinoma melanocephalum. This species was present in 80% of the collections in the district of Itaquera and has expanded its distribution in Vila Mariana, from 1998/1999 to 2009/2011, displacing the population of other ant species reducing their frequency. Pheidole megacephala also had high frequency in Vila Mariana, but it was not collected in Itaquera. Essa espécie é mais encontrada em sobrados, casas maiores, mais antigas, com menor número de moradores, sem animais domésticos ou crianças. T. melanocephalum não mostrou nenhum padrão de distribuição relacionado aos hábitos dos moradores ou conservação e limpeza. Casas em pior estado de conservação apresentam mais espécies de formigas e residências com piores condições de limpeza apresentam mais formigas.

Several ant species have association to human structures in Brazil and their presence promotes problems such as contamination of food, damage to electronic appliances, and allergies due to the their venom. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of a methoprene-based bait against different ant species. The study site was the Instituto Biológico, a research institute in Brazil with severe ant infestation in critical areas. Prior to control trials a survey revealed four ant species distributed on the six floors of the main building. Evaluations of baits efficacy was performed on the right side of the building and after 18 wks all ant species showed lower infestations compared to the initial ones.

RESUMO Algumas espécies de formigas encontram-se associadas ao homem causando incômodo, infestando aparelhos eletrônicos e podendo ainda causar sérios problemas na saúde pública quando a infestação se dá em hospitais. No Brasil, pesquisas com formigas urbanas são recentes, tendo início na década de 1980. Desde então, levantamentos têm confirmado a presença dessas formigas na área urbana, principalmente, em hospitais. Muitas substâncias químicas e naturais têm sido testadas para o seu controle. Atualmente, a metodologia de controle mais utilizada é o de iscas tóxicas, levando em consideração o local a ser tratado e a espécie em questão. ABSTRACT THE ANT TRAMP SPECIES: RETROSPECT. In Brazil Some ant species are associated to households, causing nuisance to humans, infesting electronic appliances and also transporting pathogens in hospital environments. In Brazil, researches on this subject are recent and were initiated in the early 1980s. Since then surveys have confirmed ant tramp species in all urban areas, especially in hospitals. Several chemical and natural substances have been tested for their control and the most used methodology to control them has been toxic baits.