Karachi

Ants are ubiquitous and ecologically important, yet little is known of ants within Pakistan. I studied ants collected from houses and apartments in Karachi, Pakistan to determine which ants are common indoor ants. Ants were attracted by spilling syrups and sodas on the floor which were left overnight. The following morning the ants were collected using an aspirator. A total of eleven species were found. Of these eight were well-known pest ants with worldwide distributions: Paratrechina longicornis, Tetramorium simillimum, Monomorium pharaonis, Monomorium subopacum, Monomorium destructor, Tapinoma melanocephalum, Pheidole megacephala, and Tetramorium bicarinatum. Three others, Camponotus sp., Pheidole sp., and Solenopsis sp., not identified to species were probably native species. Paratrechina longicornis and M. subopacum were the two most dominant species that were found in the highest abundance.