While exploring our native plant garden out school my biology teacher and I saw some interesting behavior from these Argentine ants. The Argentine ants seemed to be interacting with the local aphids. After some research the Argentine ants could have possibly been milking the aphids.
This picture was taken on 12/16/12. These insects were found at 32.792776,-117.121321. The ants seemed like they were trying to relocate themselves after all of the rain that they had faced. There was a trail of ants all leaving from a crack in the ground. They all seemed very determined and busy. They seemed like they had a goal that they wanted to accomplish. The environment was very wet because all of the rain recently.
Ant hill/nest.
Found under a log.
32N 117 W.
Argentine Ant. Found near a lake under a rock in a huge group with other ants.
High Tech High Insects of San Diego Field Guide.
The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile, formerly Iridomyrmex humilis) is a dark ant native to northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. It is an invasive species that has been established in many Mediterranean climate areas, inadvertently introduced by humans to many places, including South Africa, New Zealand, Japan, Easter Island, Australia, Hawaii, Europe, and the United States.
