It is called "Clear-Colony".

[genlock]

A single mega-colony of ants has colonised much of the world, scientists have discovered.

Argentine ants living in vast numbers across Europe, the US and Japan belong to the same inter-related colony, and will refuse to fight one another.

The colony may be the largest of its type ever known for any insect species, and could rival humans in the scale of its world domination.

What's more, people are unwittingly helping the mega-colony stick together.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) were once native to South America. But people have unintentionally introduced the ants to all continents except Antarctica.

These introduced Argentine ants are renowned for forming large colonies, and for becoming a significant pest, attacking native animals and crops.

In Europe, one vast colony of Argentine ants is thought to stretch for 6,000km (3,700 miles) along the Mediterranean coast, while another in the US, known as the "Californian large", extends over 900km (560 miles) along the coast of California. A third huge colony exists on the west coast of Japan.

The enormous extent of this population is paralleled only by human society
Entomologists reveal the ant colony's true size

While ants are usually highly territorial, those living within each super-colony are tolerant of one another, even if they live tens or hundreds of kilometres apart. Each super-colony, however, was thought to be quite distinct.

But it now appears that billions of Argentine ants around the world all actually belong to one single global mega-colony.

[David Paleg]

We are the Linepithema humile. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.

[Jet Black]

I saw an Argentine Ant drinking a pina collada at Trader Vic's. His antennea were perfect.

[Hoosier Daddy]

I saw an Argentine Ant drinking a pina collada at Trader Vic's. His antennea were perfect.

That's funny. I don't care who you are.

[Bar Rat]

A single mega-colony of ants has colonised much of the world, scientists have discovered.

Argentine ants living in vast numbers across Europe, the US and Japan belong to the same inter-related colony, and will refuse to fight one another.

The colony may be the largest of its type ever known for any insect species, and could rival humans in the scale of its world domination.

What's more, people are unwittingly helping the mega-colony stick together.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) were once native to South America. But people have unintentionally introduced the ants to all continents except Antarctica.

These introduced Argentine ants are renowned for forming large colonies, and for becoming a significant pest, attacking native animals and crops.

In Europe, one vast colony of Argentine ants is thought to stretch for 6,000km (3,700 miles) along the Mediterranean coast, while another in the US, known as the "Californian large", extends over 900km (560 miles) along the coast of California. A third huge colony exists on the west coast of Japan.

The enormous extent of this population is paralleled only by human society
Entomologists reveal the ant colony's true size

While ants are usually highly territorial, those living within each super-colony are tolerant of one another, even if they live tens or hundreds of kilometres apart. Each super-colony, however, was thought to be quite distinct.

But it now appears that billions of Argentine ants around the world all actually belong to one single global mega-colony.

Kind sir, do you have a link where you found this story?

[genlock]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_ne ... 127519.stm

I hope we are not going to get all pissy about attribution.
It is on the Drudge page as a link.

[cgarison]

I saw an Argentine Ant with a Chinese menu in his hand, Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain. He was looking for a place called Lee Ho Fook's. Going to get himself a big dish of beef chow mein.

[cgarison]

I saw an Argentine Ant drinking a pina collada at Trader Vic's. His antennea were perfect.

Dammit! I am making pina coladas tomorrow. With hot wings.

[Bar Rat]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_ne ... 127519.stm

I hope we are not going to get all pissy about attribution.
It is on the Drudge page as a link.

Not at all. I'm going to steal it for use elsewhere and I didn't want to post it without having a link so others could check it out.

[Bob Campbell]

In a related story, Raid will now begin marketing a giant 50 ton can of ant spray.

[Ace Purple]

"Ladies and gentlemen, uh, we've just lost the picture, but what we've seen speaks for itself. The Corvair spacecraft has apparently been taken over- 'conquered' if you will- by a master race of giant space ants. It's difficult to tell from this vantage point whether they will consume the captive Earthman or merely enslave them. One thing is for certain: there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. I'd like to remind them as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves." -Kent Brockman

[Jet Black]

You know, come to think of it, I saw a 70's scifi movie like this. Post-apocolypse, these guys were in a lab out in the desert, and started to come into contact with an ant colony that communicated with the men by building weird sand monuments outside the lab at night. Then the ants got mean. Can't even think who was in that film.

[genlock]

You know, come to think of it, I saw a 70's scifi movie like this. Post-apocolypse, these guys were in a lab out in the desert, and started to come into contact with an ant colony that communicated with the men by building weird sand monuments outside the lab at night. Then the ants got mean. Can't even think who was in that film.

Phase 4 (1974)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070531/

[Bob Campbell]

Even better was the B movie classic "Them" from the 50's. James Whitmore and James Arness fighting giant ants in the sewers of Los Angeles. Doesn't get any cheeseball better than that.

[genlock]

An ant movie with Charlton Heston.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047264/