How Tiny Invaders Reshaped California's Ecosystems and Agriculture Long before most residents noticed endless lines of tiny insects marching across kitchen counters, Argentine ants (*Linepithema humile*) had already begun a quiet, sweeping conquest of the American West. Originally native to South America, these unassuming creatures arrived accidentally via cargo ships hidden inside imported agricultural products in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By the 1990s, they had firmly established massive footholds, colonizing huge stretches of urban and coastal regions throughout California. What makes this biological invasion truly remarkable—and alarming for modern agriculture—is not just their sheer numbers, but their bizarre social structure. Unlike native ant species that fiercely defend their territories from outsiders, introduced Argentine ants in California exhibit reduced genetic diversity. This unique trait allows neighboring colonies to coexist peacefully, mergi...
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