Developing Methods to Manage an Invasive Ant at Midway Atoll
A new
Trichomyrmex ant was first observed at Midway Atoll in 2019 and has caused management concerns due to its impacts on wildlife, endangered plants, and infrastructure since its arrival. Researchers supported by this Pacific Islands CASC project will map the range of the ant and test the effectiveness of using pesticidal baits to eradicate this destructive and invasive species. If eradication is not feasible, this work will produce a strategy to manage the ant to minimize its impacts and the risk of the species spreading to other areas of the Atoll and to other islands.
Project Summary
An ant species in the Trichomyrmex genus was first observed at Midway in 2019 but was originally believed to be the tropical fire ant, a species previously established at Midway. However, it was later identified as in the Trichomyrmex genus, likely Trichomyrmex mayri. This ant has the ability to inflict painful bites and stings, cause damage to electrical systems by chewing through plastic and rubber, and feed on animal protein, all of which lead to significant threats to human activities, infrastructure, and wildlife.
Management concerns on Midway have become heightened as encounters with humans have increased and the ant has spread from the initial area of occurrence. Field observations suggest that this ant is having negative impacts on ground-nesting seabirds as the ants have been observed swarming seabird chicks, leading to mortality. Additionally, the ant has been observed in large numbers on endangered pōpolo plants, leading to possible negative impacts on this rare plant species. The current distribution of the ant on Midway is unknown, and despite the severity of impacts caused by Trichomyrmex ants globally, little effort has been made to identify methods to eradicate or control species in this genus. As a result, managers have insufficient knowledge to effectively combat this pest.
The goal of this project is to map the range of the ant, test the efficacy of pesticidal baits for population control, and develop a strategy to eradicate the species from Midway Atoll. If eradication is not feasible, then control efforts will focus on eliminating populations around important wildlife habitat (i.e., seabird nesting sites and endangered plants), buildings supporting important electronics, residential areas, and shipping and small boat piers to minimize the risk of the species spreading to other parts of the monument.
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 68307fa2d4be0269904c255f)
A new
Trichomyrmex ant was first observed at Midway Atoll in 2019 and has caused management concerns due to its impacts on wildlife, endangered plants, and infrastructure since its arrival. Researchers supported by this Pacific Islands CASC project will map the range of the ant and test the effectiveness of using pesticidal baits to eradicate this destructive and invasive species. If eradication is not feasible, this work will produce a strategy to manage the ant to minimize its impacts and the risk of the species spreading to other areas of the Atoll and to other islands.
Project Summary
An ant species in the Trichomyrmex genus was first observed at Midway in 2019 but was originally believed to be the tropical fire ant, a species previously established at Midway. However, it was later identified as in the Trichomyrmex genus, likely Trichomyrmex mayri. This ant has the ability to inflict painful bites and stings, cause damage to electrical systems by chewing through plastic and rubber, and feed on animal protein, all of which lead to significant threats to human activities, infrastructure, and wildlife.
Management concerns on Midway have become heightened as encounters with humans have increased and the ant has spread from the initial area of occurrence. Field observations suggest that this ant is having negative impacts on ground-nesting seabirds as the ants have been observed swarming seabird chicks, leading to mortality. Additionally, the ant has been observed in large numbers on endangered pōpolo plants, leading to possible negative impacts on this rare plant species. The current distribution of the ant on Midway is unknown, and despite the severity of impacts caused by Trichomyrmex ants globally, little effort has been made to identify methods to eradicate or control species in this genus. As a result, managers have insufficient knowledge to effectively combat this pest.
The goal of this project is to map the range of the ant, test the efficacy of pesticidal baits for population control, and develop a strategy to eradicate the species from Midway Atoll. If eradication is not feasible, then control efforts will focus on eliminating populations around important wildlife habitat (i.e., seabird nesting sites and endangered plants), buildings supporting important electronics, residential areas, and shipping and small boat piers to minimize the risk of the species spreading to other parts of the monument.
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 68307fa2d4be0269904c255f)