Ants out of the laboratory

Alongside several diptera that were indirectly introduced before 2200, a dramatic episode has caused the introduction of an unexpected group of insects: ants.
In 2087, a scientific study was carried out in Antarctica, at the research station of Trinity island: the purpose was to better understand the frost tolerance of the ant species Leptothorax muscorum, commonly known as Eurasian moss ant*, to understand its future range expansion in the Eurasian tundra caused by global warming.

Sadly, the final results were never published, due to a catastrophic event: in 2105, Antarctica faced the most violent eruption of the Deception volcano, found just 100 km from Trinity Island. The volcano exploded, causing large earthquakes and an enormous tsunami nearby. At least 5 research stations were critically damaged: the Trinity Research station was abandoned immediately after the eruption, but laboratory ants were not suppressed during the evacuation. Somehow, various colonies were able to survive, initially using the destroyed research station as a refuge and then slowly expanding in the nearby environment. Any type of eradication was completely unsuccessful.

Subsequent monitoring has shown that the favorite food of these introduced ants was pretty similar to the one of their native range: springtails, small insects, seeds, and fruits. Some attacks on King George snails were also observed. Three centuries after the disaster, Eurasian moss ants were firstly observed on the mainland, in the Antarctic Peninsula.
A further study of the 24th century has noted that these ants have become important seed dispersers of plants: the speed of "tundrification" of barren habitats was tripled when these ants were present.