Nylanderia flavipes
This record describes Nylanderia flavipes (species). Recorded family: Formicidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
An Asian species increasingly common from NJ to DC to NE Ohio.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Formicoidea
- Family
- Formicidae (Ants)
- Subfamily
- Formicinae
- Tribe
- Lasiini
- Genus
- Nylanderia (Crazy Ants)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
It nests in leaf litter, rotting wood, and in the soil of grasslands and forests.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: It feeds on plant nectar and small dead animals.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author: F. Smith, 1874.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Nylanderia flavipes. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Nylanderia flavipes (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Beatriz Moisset
Frequently Asked Questions About Nylanderia flavipes
What is Nylanderia flavipes?
Nylanderia flavipes is a species in the family Formicidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Nylanderia flavipes?
Worker around 2 - 2.5 mm.
Where is Nylanderia flavipes found?
Habitat: It nests in leaf litter, rotting wood, and in the soil of grasslands and forests.
What does Nylanderia flavipes eat?
The diet of the Nylanderia flavipes includes It feeds on plant nectar and small dead animals..