Scientists have officially identified the infamous “ManhattAnt” that has been crawling its way across the Big Apple for over a decade — as a European invader.
The reddish brown insects are of the species Lasius emarginatus, or house ant, which is native to Europe, according to the research recently published in the journal Biological Invasions.
Since 2011, the up to 14.5 mm long buggers have infiltrated city parks, sidewalks, and at least one sixth-floor balcony in the Lower East Side. Their population has exploded, so much so that they’re now contending with native species as the most common ant in NYC, the researchers noted.
“One colony of [the ants] was even found nesting in a small flower planter in the middle of Times Square far away from street trees or large ornamental plants that would typically serve as nesting habitat,” according to the study.
“Often, the only visual non-humans in Times Square are humans dressed as Disney animals,” the researchers added.
The ants, which feed on sugar and other insects, are expanding their range an estimated 1.2 miles per year – taking them into New Jersey and parts of Long Island so far.
Eventually, they could “expand to cover much of the eastern United States,” and have negative effects on the ecosystem, the researchers warned.
Researchers long had a hunch the ants were L. emarginatus, but the late May paper confirmed it with 93 to 99 percent certainty. It is unclear what took scientists so long to bother to officially ID the critters.
“Despite initial media attention, there has been little to no follow up work on the ManhattAnt nor has it received an official identification,” the authors note.
