Since being first spotted in New York City in 2011, the invasive Lasius emarginatus, or "ManhattAnt," is now challenging the common pavement ant for dominance, raising biodiversity concerns.
Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal warned that the spread of the Lasius emarginatus could harm local biodiversity, stating, "We're talking about a big, big issue here. It's not like just a crazy ant running around Manhattan."
Research on the impacts of invasive ants shows they can alter their ecosystems significantly; for instance, in Kenya, they led to fewer zebras being eaten, threatening lion populations.
To combat the spread of the invasive ManhattAnt, sightings can be logged on iNaturalist, helping researchers analyze their distribution and address the ecological threats they pose.
[
Collection
]
[
|
...
]