(Immigrant) Pavement Ant
Tetramorium immigrans
This record describes Tetramorium immigrans (species). Recorded family: Formicidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Introduced from Europe. It is parasitized by another imported Myrmicine Anergates atratulus (also introduced).
Wikipedia reference for Tetramorium immigrans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetramorium_immigrans.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Formicoidea
- Family
- Formicidae (Ants)
- Subfamily
- Myrmicinae
- Tribe
- Crematogastrini
- Genus
- Tetramorium (Pavement Ants)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Urban parks, yards, vacant lots, under sidewalks and building rubble, especially, but also rural roadsides, farms, feedlots and auction yards, and rock quarries.
Geographic Range
Native across southern and central Europe, found in cities and towns throughout the United States and southern Canada (but mostly absent in the southern tier US states)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Omnivorous, fond of greasy human food scraps,
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: From Wagner, et al. (See below): The [rather appropriate] name Tetramorium immigrans is applied to this population as follows: Tetramorium caespitum var. immigrans SANTSCHI, 1927: 54; junior synonym of T. caespitum: BOLTON 1979: 171; revived from synonymy, raised to species rank, and lectotype designation hereby."
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Tetramorium immigrans. 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 (Immigrant) Pavement Ant (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Bbarnd , ceiseman , James C. Trager
Frequently Asked Questions About (Immigrant) Pavement Ant
What is (Immigrant) Pavement Ant?
(Immigrant) Pavement Ant (Tetramorium immigrans) is a species in the family Formicidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is (Immigrant) Pavement Ant?
Workers ca. 3mm
Where is (Immigrant) Pavement Ant found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Urban parks, yards, vacant lots, under sidewalks and building rubble, especially, but also rural roadsides, farms, feedlots and auction yards, and rock quarries. |
| Range | Native across southern and central Europe, found in cities and towns throughout the United States and southern Canada (but mostly absent in the southern tier US states) |
What does (Immigrant) Pavement Ant eat?
The diet of the (Immigrant) Pavement Ant includes Omnivorous, fond of greasy human food scraps,.