Ants Endanger Butterflies

Schaus Swallowtail

The Schaus swallowtail butterfly, Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus, is an endangered species of butterfly in Florida with critically low numbers. Habitat loss is an important component in its decline, but exotic species are having a detrimental effect. .

Clayborn and Koptur* excluded ants from interacting with the caterpillars and found decreased survival when ants are not excluded. The most problematic species was Pseudomyrmex gracilis the Elongate twig ant, an exotic…

Source: Living With Insects Blog