Over the past decade, the juvenile Lasius emarginatus – with a reddish-brown breast, dark brown head and abdomen – has completely thrive in New York, and was nicknamed ManhattAnt.
“My research is focused on understanding how this ant, currently one of the most common ant species in New York City, is able to succeed and survive,” said Ms. in a highly urban environment”. She found Lasius emarginatus in trees everywhere above and below Broadway, as well as in middle neighborhood. “We found them in Times Square,” Kennett said. “They’re everywhere.”
Including, it seems, the upper floors of apartment buildings. Like many aspiring New Yorkers, ManhattAnt is very mobile. Ms. Kennett said: “It feeds on trees. “It climbs a lot. They found it in second-story buildings in Europe. Now, as it expands its habitat, it seems to be shrinking the structures of New York City.
After reviewing the photos, Ms. Kennett was able to confirm that Ms. Russell Paige’s ant and this reporter’s ant were indeed Lasius emarginatus. Ms. Guhl has no photos, cannot be sure of the species visited, and has since disposed of the bodies. “I didn’t look at them too carefully, to be precise,” Ms. Guhl said.
It is not yet clear how high Lasius emarginatus will climb. Ms. Kennett has started an online initiative, Project ManhattAnt, and she hopes that New Yorkers will Report what they see to help scientists track the diligent insect as it quietly spreads: “We’ve started to see populations springing up in New Jersey and as far as Long Island.”
Dr. Rob Dunn, a professor in the Department of Applied Ecology at North Carolina State University, whose team is credited discovered Lasius emarginatus living in New York, believes any ManhattAnts New Yorkers see inside may be looking for water – and likely not there to stay. The ant “nested in the ground,” he said. “It nests under logs and in all the studies we’ve done, it prefers to have some sort of natural habitat.”
