Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR)

Pheidole megacephala
(Formicidae)

big-headed ant

  
image of Pheidole megacephala
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Species description or overview Taxonomy & nomenclature Identification Pest alerts Impacts Dispersal and pathways
Prevention Control methods Images Distribution Books In the news
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Species description or overview

Those pesky tramp ants (Pest Control Technology Online)
Polygyny, monomorphism, and colony dispersal by budding and fission allow tramp ant species to succesfully invade new territories. These and other characteristics that benefit tramp ants are discussed in this article.

Ecology of Pheidole megacephala from ISSG
The ecology, distribution, habitat, and management of Pheidole megacephala are presented in this Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) site.

Pheidole megacephala description and ecology from GISD (ISSG)
A species description and information about the ecology of Pheidole megacephala as an invasive species is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).

Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius) information from Landcare Research (New Zealand)
This overview of Pheidole megacephala includes classification, synonyms, distribution, biology, and pest status from the Landcare Research of Biosecurity New Zealand.


Taxonomy & nomenclature

Pheidole megacephala information from ITIS
The Integrated Taxonomic Information System ITIS provides authoritative taxonomic information on Pheidole megacephala, as well as other plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius, 1793) taxonomy from ITIS
ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, lists taxonomic data for Pheidole megacephala and allows searches of other databases.


Identification

Key to ant species in Hawaii
13 physical characteristics are the basis of this computer-assisted key for identifying the 48 species of ants in Hawaii.

Pheidole megacephala images from PaDIL
Identifying information and diagnostic images of Pheidole megacephala are presented by the Plant and Disease Image Library.


Pest alerts

What is a big headed ant? View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
Most big headed ants don't have big heads, and other facts about Pheidole megacephala are presented in this CSIRO (Australia) pest alert.


Impacts

Effect of two ant species on the foraging and survival of the formosan subterranean termite (abstract)
Pheidole megacephala and Ochetellus glaber cause complete mortality to the Formosan subterranean termite after one week's exposure.

Assessment of agonism among invasive ant species in Hawaii using individual and group bioassays (abstract)
Agonistic behavior among five invasive ant species in Hawaii were assessed, with Pheidole megacephala displaying the highest level of aggression (Entomological Society America Annual Meeting, 2006).

Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy (2000) View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
The status of invasive plants, vertebrates, arthropods, molluscs, and crustaceans, and options for a regional invasive species strategy for the South Pacific are presented in this series of articles from the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, 2000.

Pheidole megacephala predation on Hawaiian crickets
Pheidole megacephala predation may be causing the population drop of the Laupala cricket in the Keahou area of Kauai.

Assessment of the effects of ants on Hawaiian crickets
Pheidole megacephala predation may be causing the population drop of the Laupala cricket in the Keahou area of Kauai. (abstract, Journal of Orthoptera Research, 2000)

The effect of alien predatory ants on Hawaiian endemic spiders (abstract, Pacific Science, 1993)
Alien ants may prey on native spiders, limiting the spiders' distribution in native and disturbed forests.

Behavioral responses of the Formosan subterranean termite to semiochemicals of seven ant species (abstract)
Formosan termites responded differently to semiochemicals of different ant species ( Environmental Entomology, 1994) .

Effects of Pheidole megacephala (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on survival and dispersal of Dysmicoccus neobrevipes (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) (abstract)
Pheidole megacephala might not increase mealy bug populations on pineapple nor aid in their transmission between fruit, contrary to previous assumptions (Journal of Economic Entomology, 1996).

Nature's sovereignty rules northwestern Hawaiian isles (article)
New species of marine sponges, rapidly growing alien weeds, big-headed ants and abundant sea life are only a few of the findings by state and federal scientists surveying ecological resources in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, October 14, 2000, by Helen Altonn).

Ant - mealy bug relations in pineapple in South Africa (abstract)
The pineapple mealybug (Dysmicoccus brevipes Ckll.) has largely been controlled on pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) by controlling the big-headed ant.

Introduced species in Hawaii: Hymenoptera: Formicidae
The factors that make the Argentine ant, the long legged ant, and the big-headed ant successful and detrimental invaders in Hawaii are discussed in this senior seminar presentation from Earlham College.

Pheidole megacephala impact information from GISD (ISSG)
Impact information regarding Pheidole megacephala as an invasive species is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).


Dispersal and pathways

The diversity and origin of exotic ants arriving in New Zealand via human-mediated dispersal (abstract, Diversity and Distributions, 2006)
The diversity, trade pathways, and origin of exotic ants intercepted at the New Zealand border were examined for the period 1955-2005. The most intercepted species was Pheidole megacephala.


Prevention

Change in Quarantine Action Policy for Ants Intercepted from Commodities Destined to the State of Hawaii
A policy change regarding quarantine action for ants intercepted from commodities in Hawaii is detailed here. The revised policy went into effect 10 April 2002.


Control methods

Evaluation of methoprene granular baits against foraging Pharaoh ants, Monomorium pharaonis (abstract)
Methoprene granular baits were effective against foraging Pharaoh ants, but there was a subsequent increase in populations of other pest ants with the elimination of Pharoah ants (Sociobiology, 2003).

Preliminary field tests on the suitability of Amdro and Distance in ant bait container for control of the big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala
Various bait containers used in the control of big-headed ant in agricultural situations were tested, and the short-term effects of environmental conditions on the potency of Amdro was monitored.

Pheidole megacephala management information from GISD (ISSG)
Management information for Pheidole megacephala as an invasive species is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).

Eradication of two exotic ants from Kakadu National Park (Australia) View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
The African big-headed ant (Pheidole megacephala) and the tropical fire ant (Solenopsis geminata) were successfully eradicated from the Kakadu National Park through a disciplined program of assessment, treatment, and monitoring.

Review of the efficacy of baits used for ant control and eradication
Ant species have varying responses to toxins and baits used for their control. This extensive review of published reports is a preamble to the development of recommendations for New Zealand.

Acceptability of different sugars and oils to three tropical ant species (abstract)
The acceptability of six sugars and oils to Pheidole megacephala, Ochetellus glaber, and Paratrechina longicornis was examined to determine potential preferences for bait.


Images

Pheidole megacephala images (Starr)
Images of Pheidole megacephala (Formicidae) (big-headed ant are provided by from Forest and Kim Starr.

Pheidole megacephala images and species overview
High quality photographs, identification, and natural history information on the big-headed ant are presented on this page from The Evergreen State College.

Pheidole megacephala information from the Japanese Ant Image Database
Images and identifying information for Pheidole megacephala are presented on this J-Ant site.

Pheidole megacephala images from AntWeb
This AntWeb site allows comparisons of close-up images of individuals within the species Pheidole megacephala.

Ants in Hawaii images
Images of many ant species found in Hawaii are on this page of photos taken by Neil Reimer, Hawaii State Department of Agriculture.


Distribution

Pheidole megacephala -- Big-Headed Ant
This clickable map shows the distribution of this species around the world.

Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy (2000) View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
The status of invasive plants, vertebrates, arthropods, molluscs, and crustaceans, and options for a regional invasive species strategy for the South Pacific are presented in this series of articles from the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, 2000.

Pheidole megacephala and Iridomyrmex humilis in Bermuda - equilibrium or slow replacement? (abstract, Ecology, 1965)
Iridomyrmex humilis may be replacing populations of Pheidole megacephala just as earlier invasions of P. megacephala replaced original ant species in Bermuda.

Bermudian ants revisited: the status and interaction of Pheidole megacephala and Iridomyrmex humilis (Ecology, abstract, 1975)
Differences in food preferences between Pheidole megacephala and Iridomyrmex humilis indicate the competition between the two species is largely spacial and a population equilibrium is possible in Bermuda.

Nonindigenous ants associated with geothermal and human disturbance in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (abstract)
Ants were common in areas disturbed by geothermal or human activity in HawaiiVolcanoes National Park, but rare in undisturbed forest. Warmth generated by geothermal activity extended the range of some lowland ant species (Pacific Science, 1998).

Biology and impacts of pacific island invasive species: the African big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala (abstract, Pacific Science, 2007)
Currently P. megacephala is known from virtually every tropical island group in the Pacific but not from many islands within the groups, particularly uninhabited islands.

The interaction between the coastal brown ant, Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius), and other invertebrate fauna of Mt Coot-tha (Brisbane, Australia)
The presence of Pheidole megacephala apparently depresses populations of other ant species (Austral Ecology, 1997, abstract).

Proposal to study Pheidole megacephala on Kure Atoll.
This document is a preliminary and exploratory proposal prepared for the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources for investigating the populations of the tramp ant Pheidole megacephala, a destructive pest endangering the ecosystem on Kure Atoll, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

A survey of urban pest ants in the Florida peninsula (Florida Entomologist, 1995) View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
Eight species of ants were identified as key pests in Florida. The most common were Solenopsis invicta (14%), Tapinoma melanocephalum (14%), Paratrechina longicornis (14%), Camponotus abdominalis floridanus (12%), Monomorium pharaonis (11%), Camponotus tortuganus (8%), Pheidole megacephala (7%), and Paratrechina bourbonica (4%).

New arthropod records from Kahoolawe (Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, 2004) View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
New island records of a variety of arthropods collected on Kahoolawe are reported here.

Pheidole megacephala worldwide distribution from GISD (ISSG)
Worldwide distribution information about Pheidole megacephala is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).

Checklist of the ants of Fiji (Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, 2006). View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
This checklist of the ants of Fiji includes 138 currently valid species and subspecies: 91 Fijian endemics, 22 wide-ranging Pacific natives, and 25 exotics.

The abundance and diversity of ants in a suburban site (Queensland, Australia) View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
Pheidole megacephala was found in 28 of the 32 test sites and was found to significantly reduce ant species richness and diversity.


Books

Turning the tide: The eradication of invasive species (proceedings of the International Conference on Eradication of Island Invasives)
Veitch, C.R. and M.N. Clout (eds.) . 2002. Turning the tide: The eradication of invasive species (proceedings of the International Conference on Eradication of Island Invasives). IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. vii + 414pp. ISBN: 2-8317-0682-3.


In the news

Nature's sovereignty rules northwestern Hawaiian isles (article)
New species of marine sponges, rapidly growing alien weeds, big-headed ants and abundant sea life are only a few of the findings by state and federal scientists surveying ecological resources in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, October 14, 2000, by Helen Altonn).


Full-text articles

Ant invasions of mamane-naio forest at high elevations on Mauna Kea.
The potential impact of ants upon the endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper -- palila -- was studied on the dry sub-alpine slopes of Mauna Kea.

Community Structure of House-Infesting Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Southern Bahia, Brazil View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
This article examines the community structure of house invading ants in Brazil.

Alien species and the extinction crisis of Hawaii's invertebrates View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
Invertebrates are the glue that hold Hawaii's ecosystems together, and the natives are in crisis (Adam Asquith, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1995).

Pacific Ant Prevention Plan View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
This proposal was prepared by ISSG for the Pacific Plant Protection Organization and Regional Technical Meeting For Plant Protection in March 2004.

Exotic ants in NZ: A ticking timebomb? View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
This article highlights a number of research projects that are currently being carried out on exotic ants by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, collaborators and University students.

Ants prey on stinkbug eggs in Hawaiian macadamia nut fields View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
Predation on sentinel egg masses of stinkbug by the big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala and the longlegged ant, Anoplolepis longipes affected population dynamics of the stinkbug in macadamia fields in Hawaii.

The ecology, policy, and management of ants in Hawaii (Proc. Hawaiian Entomol Soc., 2005)
The ecology and impacts of the roughly 45 ant species introduced to Hawaii, and their implications for agriculture, other sectors of the economy, and the conservation of native biodiversity, are reviewed (abstract with link to full article).

A review of the association of ants with mealybug wilt disease of pineapple (Proc. Hawaiian Entomological Society, 2003)
The mutualism between ants and mealybugs on pineapple is reviewed.

Ants of the Dry Tortugas, the outermost Florida keys
The two dominant ant species of the Tortugas, Pheidole megacephala and Solenopsis geminata, may pose a threat to native fauna, including sea turtle and sea bird nestlings.

Floral visitation patterns of two invasive ant species and their effects on other hymenopteran visitors
The Argentine ant Linepithema humile, and the big-headed ant Pheidole megacephala, affected nectar volume and floral hymenopteran visitors on ohia flowers (Lori Lach, Ecological Entomology, 2008).

Kanaio Natural Area Reserve: biological inventory and management recommendations
Medeiros, Arthur C., Lloyd L. Loope, and C.G. Chimera. 1993. Kanaio Natural Area Reserve: biological inventory and management recommendations. Natural Area Reserve System, State of Hawaii.

Predation on Liothrips urichi Karny (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), a case of biotic interference
Reimer, Neil J. 1988. Predation on Liothrips urichi Karny (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), a case of biotic interference. Environmental Entomology 17, no. 1: 132-34.

Alien plant invasions in native ecosystems of Hawaii: Management and research
Stone, Charles P., Clifford W. Smith, and J. Timothy Tunison (eds.) . 1992. Alien plant invasions in native ecosystems of Hawaii: Management and research. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit. ISBN: 0-8248-1474-6.

Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy
South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP). Sherley, Greg (ed.) . 2000. Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. Apia, Samoa: South Pacific Regional Environment Programme. ISBN: 982-04-0214-X.

Turning the tide: The eradication of invasive species (proceedings of the International Conference on Eradication of Island Invasives)
Veitch, C.R. and M.N. Clout (eds.) . 2002. Turning the tide: The eradication of invasive species (proceedings of the International Conference on Eradication of Island Invasives). IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. vii + 414pp. ISBN: 2-8317-0682-3.

Maui Offshore Islet Botanical Survey
Starr, F., K. Starr, and Wood K. 2006. Maui Offshore Islet Botanical Survey. Report prepared for State Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Offshore Islet Restoration Committee, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Oahu Offshore Islets Botanical Survey
Starr, F. and K. Starr. 2006. Oahu Offshore Islets Botanical Survey. Report prepared for State Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Offshore Islet Restoration Committee, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Impact of an introduced ant on native rain forest invertebrates: Pheidole megacephala in monsoonal Australia View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
The abundance and richness of native ants and other invertebrates were significantly reduced in litter samples, pitfall catches and foliage beats in an Australian rain forest where P. megacephala was present.

Determinants for the successful establishment of exotic ants in New Zealand View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format
The exotic New Zealand ant fauna is examined for characteristics that predict or determine an exotic species' ability to establish. A predictive model based on quarantine records, climate, and ant species size was 71% accurate.


Experts

Pheidole megacephala contacts from GISD (ISSG)
Contact information for experts on Pheidole megacephala as an invasive species is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).


Discussion forums

Pacific Ant Group e-mail list (PAG-L@HAWAII.EDU)
The Pacific Ant Group discussion forum facilitates communication toward preventing establishment of Red Imported fire ant and other invasive ants on Pacific islands.


Other resources

Pheidole megacephala references from GISD (ISSG)
References regarding Pheidole megacephala as an invasive species is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).


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