1. Natasha Palesa Mothapo and Theresa Wossler
The accidental tourist: invasive Argentine ants launch a hostile takeover in the Fynbos!
Natasha Palesa Mothapo and Theresa Wossler
Photo used with permission from Alex Wild

2. The Argentine ant Global empire
, Anglo Boer-War
© Wetterer et al. 2009
Map of the distribution of Argentine ants - from South America to six continents and oceanic islands across the globe

4. The Fynbos and the role of its ants
Mymercochory-seed dispersal by ants
Elaiosomes
Elaiosomes provide a food reward
MIMETES CUCULLATUS
The role players
Cape nutcracker ant
Lepisiota species
Tetramorium sp
Common pugnacious ant

5. Disruption of seed dispersal by Argentine ants
© Mark Moffett
Argentine ants eating an elaiosome attached to the seed of a Fynbos plant. After eating the elaiosome they will leave the seed exposed to fire and predation by mice.

6. Ant communities are defined by:
Finding and recruiting to food
Defending food

7. Finding and recruiting to food
Discovery Time
Recruitment intensity

8. Defending food
Argentine ants
Native ants 2 1 4 3

9. * Significantly slower
The common pugnacious ant, a dominant Fynbos ant which disperses large seeded proteas was slow at finding food
* Significantly slower
Common Pugnacious ant

10. Argentine ants prevent native Fynbos ants from having access to shared food, including key seed dispersers, Cape nutcracker ant and Common Pugnacious ants

11. Argentine ants were highly aggressive to all native Fynbos ants

12. Argentine ants kill native Fynbos ants important in seed dispersal through high aggression and competition for food!
The inability of native ants to compete with the invasive Argentine ants paints a bleak picture for the future of this biodiversity hotspot!

13. Argentine ant worker and queen
Ke a leboga
Ngiyabonga
Thank you
Dankie
Na khensa
Ndaa
Argentine ant worker and queen