Trichomyrmex destructor

Monomorium destructor has been updated to its senior synonym Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerdon 1851) This species is polymorphic having four main morphological expressions in its worker caste. Trichomyrmex destructor is also polygynous. It is a serious pest pest species with colonies causing serious damages to food stores.

Workers of Trichomyhrmex destructor. Below are the median worker and the lesser and the larger major workers missing is the minor worker.

A major worker of Trichomyhrmex destructor.

Workers of Trichomyhrmex destructor showing the four main morphological expression of the caste, two larger majors, a few lesser majors, a few medians and one minor worker.

Workers of Trichomyhrmex destructor showing the four morphological expression of the caste.

Workers of Trichomyhrmex destructor showing the four morphological expression of the caste.

Workers of Trichomyhrmex destructor.

Workers of Monomorium destructor.

Workers of Trichomyhrmex destructor.

Major, median and minor workers of Trichomyhrmex destructor.

A minor worker of Trichomyhrmex destructor.

Worker of Trichomyhrmex destructor.

Worker of Trichomyhrmex destructor.

 Queen

 Queen

Queen

Foundess queen with her first brood of workers

 Trichomyrmex destructor nesting inside cracks and gaps of concrete walls

Passive Aggression

 Trichomyrmex destructor workers strategically placing themselves all over a site to drive off Tapinoma melanocephalum from nesting in cracks of the same wall not far (around 40 centimeter) from where their nest.

 In this manner without actually attacking the Tapinoma they were able to drive them off. I caught this a little late and the main confrontation had already dissipated leaving just a small area (about a third) of the initial confrontation coverage and density by the time it took me to retrieve my camera from my residence and rushed down to take this shot. By the time I got back the Tapinoma had already mostly retreated and the Trichomyrmex coverage over the area was no longer as dense and only a third of the initial.

A close up of the left over confrontation.

Here Trichomyrmex destructor managed to drive off Carebara (Pheidologeton) ssp workers from a food find with the same passive-aggression strategy. Their strategy seems to be if they are attacked then only they attack back, biting and stinging. Solenopsis geminata too deploy a similar passive-aggressive strategy (they raise the gaster and secrete a tiny drop of venom) to protect and drive off other ants from their food find.

See also:

Monomorium
Monomorium floricola

Monomorium pharaonis

Taxonomy:

No rank: cellular organisms 131567

Superkingdom (Domain): Eukaryota 2759

No rank: Opisthokonta 33154

Kingdom: Metazoa 33208

No rank: Eumetazoa 6072

No rank (Subkingdom): Bilateria 33213

No rank (Branch): Protostomia 33317

No rank (Infrakingdom): Ecdysozoa

No rank (Superphylum): Panarthropoda 88770

Phylum: Arthropoda 6656

No rank (Subphylum): Mandibulata 197563

No rank: Pancrustacea 197562

Subphylum (Epiclass): Hexapoda 6960

Class: Insecta 50557

No rank (Subclass): Dicondylia 85512

Subclass (Infraclass): Pterygota 7496

Infraclass: Neoptera 33340

Cohort: Holometabola

Order: Hymenoptera 7399

Suborder Apocrita 7400

Infraorder: Aculeata 7434

Superfamily: Formicoidea

Family: Formicidae 36668

Subfamily: Myrmicinae 34695

Tribe: Solenopsidini 144017

Genus: Trichomyrmex  1652995

Species: destructor 369170

Last Updated:  2021 09 03
First Posted: 2012 04 24

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