@article {33514, title = {Samsum Ant, Brachyponera sennaarensis (Formicidae: Ponerinae): distribution and abundance in Saudi Arabia}, journal = {Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences}, year = {2015}, month = {Jan-05-2015}, abstract = {

Invasive species are capable of causing considerable damage to natural ecosystems, agriculture and economies throughout the World. Samsum ant,\ Brachyponera (Pachycondyla) sennaarens\ is has been a reason for medical implication and social nuisance through its poisonous and severely painful sting causing anaphylactic shock in many cases. We surveyed for the presence of the samsum ant in various provinces of Saudi Arabia.\ B. sennaarensis\ was abundant ponerinae species in human settlements. In the Eastern provinces, however, few samples were collected, and none were found in the Northern and Western provinces. Infestations of\ B. sennaarensis\ were particularly severe in the spring and summer seasons, when the ants make nests in moist areas and in cracks in cemented structures, whereas the extent of infestation reduced in the winter seasons.

}, keywords = {Brachyponera (Pachycondyla) sennaarensis, distribution, Ponerinae, Samsum ant, Saudi Arabia}, issn = {1319562X}, doi = {10.1016/j.sjbs.2015.05.011}, url = {http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1319562X15001126}, author = {Al-Khalifa, Mohammed Saleh and Mashaly, Ashraf Mohamed Ali and Siddiqui, Mohammed Iqbal and Al-Mekhlafi, Fahd Abdu} }