A new enemy of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae): First report of Nomamyrmex esenbeckii (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) attacking honey bee colonies

Abstract

Nomamyrmex esenbeckii, commonly known as the legionary ant, belongs to the group of army ants. This social insect employs a cooperative hunting method that is considered more evolved than solitary hunting ants. Their main preys are other ants and termites. However, in this article, we report for the first time in Mexico the predatory behavior of N. esenbeckii on Apis mellifera colonies.

Keywords:

• Army ants
• predator
• pest
• threat
• Apis mellifera

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.