Credit: Alex Wild

One of the most widespread invasive ant species not only displaces native ants, but also carries viruses.

Phil Lester at Victoria University of Wellington and his colleagues searched for viral sequences in RNA extracted from Argentine ants (Linepithema humile; pictured) in New Zealand. They found a virus that they named Linepithema humile virus 1, which could explain periodic crashes in Argentine ant populations. They also found that the ants carried deformed wing virus, which can be fatal to honeybees.

The team suggests that bees could become infected when the ants forage or raid bee nests.

Biol. Lett. 11, 20150610 (2015)