Determinants for the successful establishment of exotic ants in New Zealand

*[Quarantine records show interceptions of 66 ant species: 17 of which have established, 43 have failed to establish, whereas nests of another 6 are periodically observed but have failed to establish permanently, called ephemeral establishment. Mean temperature at the highest latitude and interception variables were the only factors significantly different between established, failed or ephemeral groups. Amblyopone australis, Cardiocondyla minutior, Hypoponera eduardi, Hypoponera punctatissima, Iridomyrmex anceps, Linepithema humile, Monomorium floricola, Monomorium pharaonis, Ochetellus glaber, Paratrechina vaga, Pheidole magacephala, Pheidole rugosula, Rhytidoponera chalybaea, Rhytidoponera metallica, Strumigenys perplexa, Technomyrmex albipes, Tetramorium bicarinatum, & Tetramorium grassii are established exotic species. Lasius niger, Monomorium destructor, Pheidole fervens, Solenopsis papuana, Tetramorium simillimum, & Wasmannia auropunctata are non-established species. Anoplolepis gracilipes, Monomorium floricola, Paratrechina longicornis, Solenopsis geminata, Solenopsis invicta, & Tapinoma melanocephalum are species that have been observed to nest, but not established. Camponotus pennsylvanicus, Myrmecia brevinoda, Oecophylla smaragdina, & Paratrechina bourbonica are ephemeral establishments. Paratrechina longicornis is one of the most common ants found in international cargo by quarantine officials.]