RESEARCH PROJECT

Trichomyrmex destructor is a small, aggressive ant species native to India or northern Africa. It is now widespread as a highly invasive species in many tropical and subtropical regions. First observed at Midway in 2019 in a specific area of the island, T. destructor has begun to spread to other parts of the island. It is associated with harmful impacts on native seabirds, plants, and valuable field equipment. When invasive ants negatively impact populations of conservation concern, such as by attacking ground-nesting seabirds and promoting pests on rare plants, ant eradication or control can enhance the resilience of native populations to climate change and other stressors. Despite the severity of impacts caused by T. destructor across its invaded range, little effort has been made to identify methods to eradicate or control this species. As a result, managers have insufficient knowledge to combat this pest effectively. The goal of this project is to map the range of T. destructor, test the efficacy of eradicating the species using pesticidal baits, and develop a strategy to eradicate the species from Midway Atoll.