Global InformationTetramorium immigrans information
| Tetramorium immigrans | |
|---|---|
| |
| Tetramorium immigrans worker | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Genus: | Tetramorium |
| Species: | T. immigrans
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| Binomial name | |
| Tetramorium immigrans Santschi, 1927
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Tetramorium immigrans—also known as the immigrant pavement ant, pavement ant,[note 1] and the sugar ant in parts of North America[1][note 2]—is an ant native to Europe, which also occurs as an introduced pest in North America. Its common name comes from the fact that colonies in North America usually make their nests under pavement. This is one of the most commonly seen ants in North America, being well adapted to urban and suburban habitats. It is distinguished by a single pair of spines on the back, two nodes on the petiole, and grooves on the head and thorax.[2]
During the late spring and early summer, colonies attempt to conquer new areas and often attack nearby enemy colonies. This results in huge sidewalk battles, sometimes leaving thousands of ants dead. In summer, the ants dig out the sand between the pavements to vent their nests.[citation needed] Pavement ants were studied on the International Space Station in 2014.[3]
Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).
- ^ "Sugar Ants" (PDF). Washington State University. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ "Pavement ant — Tetramorium caespitum". University of California, Davis. 2004-01-26.
- ^ "Ants Hold Their Own Searching in Space", Discovery News, March 31, 2015