Invasion risk of the yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) under the Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 climate change scenario in South Korea

The yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) has destroyed local ecosystems in numerous countries, and their population sizes and distribution are likely to increase under global warming. To evaluate the risk of invasion by yellow crazy ant in South Korea, this study identified their potential habitats and predicted their future global distribution by modeling various climate change scenarios using CLIMEX software. Our modeling predicted that future climate conditions in South Korea will be favorable for the yellow crazy ant, and they could invade by the mid-21st century. We highlight the use of predictive algorithms to establish geographical areas with a high risk of yellow crazy ant invasion under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 8.5 climate scenarios.