Ant-maps > News > Lasius neglectus invades Europe

In 1990 the Lasius neglectus was discovered in Budapest. Hungary. They do look like Lasius niger (Black garden ant) but are real invaders. The ants are found in several European countries, also in northern Belgium. The warmer climat seems to be comfortable for them.

The reason that these ants spread so fast is that they travel with compost. Gardeners bring soil and plants from one place to another. And bring the ants with them. Entomologist fear the worst for the indigenous species, like Lasius niger. The Lasius neglectus nests contain 10 to 100 times the number of ants as L. niger.

Lasius neglectus ants live in gardens close to human. Just like Formica rufa they create networks of several nest, connected by roads. This makes it extremely difficult to control this pest. They make also roads into houses and kitchens. These networks of nests are also called super colonies. In a L. neglectur super colony can live ten thousands of queens.

A supercolony can grow to 14 hectares big and there live probably more than 100 million ants. They mate under ground and have no mating flight.

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