Barcode Long Island Team Shelter Island High School
Program:
Barcode Long Island
Year:
2021-22
Research Topic:
Wildlife
Taxonomic Group Studied:
Animals: Invertebrate

Project:

Isolated Ants
Students:
Nathan Cronin, Jose Frausto
School:
Shelter Island Union Free School Distric, Suffolk
Mentors:
Daniel Williams

Abstract:

Over the past three years, students have found different species of ants living in the variety of ecological niches of Shelter Island. Some of these ants appear to be invasive species from southern climates (for example: Camponotus castaneus), thus providing evidence of climate change which has major implications for human health. Camponotus castaneus according to "Antwiki" is rare in North America but has been found in the south east of the US not in the north east. As Camponotus Castaneus ants were only identified by DNA once (2019), during COVID they were identified only visually at a second location, we hope to verify if this species is truly here and how widespread it is. This year, we not only propose to verify past claims, but to also examine ants found at an isolated sometimes submerged environment (Taylors Island -a Tombolo) to compare with ants found on the main island. On Shelter Island, the main island, we will collect ants at an open field (Fiske Field) in the center of th

Poster:

Team samples: