Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Brachymyrmex patagonicus, also known as the black rover ant, is a species of Formicine ant native to Mexico, Central America, South America, and invasive in the United States and Europe. They were first reported in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana in 1978 from a single colony collected in 1976. It is believed that the species was introduced through New Orleans, which is a common entry point for many tropical species, but other locations such as Mobile, Alabama, or Pensacola, Florida, are also likely. For many years B. patagonicus, B. musculus, and B. obscurior were misidentified as being separate species but after a comparison of specimens from the Louisiana State University Arthropod Collection (LSUC), it was found that all three were the same species. B. patagonicus is considered a nuisance pest due to their tendency to infest man-made structures but have received a lack of attention because they do not bite, sting, or carry disease.