1 island, 1-3 populations, <1ha. (Booy, O. & Key, J., 2020. Prioritising the management of established invasive non-native species in the Turks and Caicos Islands: eradication and spread prevention.pdf); Common in disturbed and natural habitats. (Animal and Plant Health Agency (2020). Factsheets for 21 established invasive species of common concern to Anguilla and TCI for either eradication or control. FERA);
Invasive. (Booy, O. & Key, J., 2020. Prioritising the management of established invasive non-native species in the Turks and Caicos Islands: eradication and spread prevention);
Invasive ants can cause massive declines in species diversity as well as becoming a nuisance for people. In TCI, ant species pose a particular threat of spreading from the main islands to Ambergris and the Leeward Cays Island, where they could cause serious impacts on the endemic rock iguana, endemic lizards, breeding birds and breeding turtles found there. (Booy, O. & Key, J., 2020. Prioritising the management of established invasive non-native species in the Turks and Caicos Islands: eradication and spread prevention); It forms super colonies which can devastate native ants and other arthropod species. On islands, colonies can lack the normal pheromone-based boundaries and inter-colony aggression, and thus take over indefinitely. Outcompetes native insects reducing biodiversity. Small vertebrate populations are also adversely affected like birds (particularly nestlings). (Animal and Plant Health Agency (2020). Factsheets for 21 established invasive species of common concern to Anguilla and TCI for either eradication or control. FERA);
Workers can be agricultural pests by feeding on seeds protecting pests. It may also affect electrical wires, cables and irrigation in urban areas. (Animal and Plant Health Agency (2020). Factsheets for 21 established invasive species of common concern to Anguilla and TCI for either eradication or control. FERA);
Terrestrial. Thought to have originated in Africa. (Animal and Plant Health Agency (2020). Factsheets for 21 established invasive species of common concern to Anguilla and TCI for either eradication or control. FERA);
Important pathways of spread from the main island to the outer Cays include as hitchhikers in the backpacks of visitors, with general supplies taken over to service restaurants, and in camping equipment and provisions by researchers and campers. (Booy, O. & Key, J., 2020. Prioritising the management of established invasive non-native species in the Turks and Caicos Islands: eradication and spread prevention); Natural dispersal: via winged reproductives dispersing or "budding" where a newly inseminated queen, accompanied by some workers, establishes a new satellite colony. Intentional/Anthropogenic dispersal: transported in plant and soil material, passenger luggage, sea containers, timber, fresh produce, vehicles etc. (Animal and Plant Health Agency (2020). Factsheets for 21 established invasive species of common concern to Anguilla and TCI for either eradication or control. FERA);
Pagad, S. & Wong, L.J., 2020. Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species - Turks and Caicos Islands. Version 1.2. Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG). Checklist dataset. Available at: https://doi.org/10.15468/ytdnvt; Booy, O. & Key, J., 2020. Prioritising the management of established invasive non-native species in the Turks and Caicos Islands: eradication and spread prevention.pdf; Animal and Plant Health Agency (2020). Factsheets for 21 established invasive species of common concern to Anguilla and TCI for either eradication or control. FERA;