Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae Cedric A. Collingwood Donat Agosti Mostafa R. Sharaf Antonius van Harten Arthropod fauna of the UAE 2011 2011-05-31 4 1 70 54T6X Fabricius, 1793 Fabricius 1793 [306,805,1532,1557] Insecta Formicidae Tapinoma GBIF Animalia Hymenoptera 10 11 Arthropoda species melanocephalum  Specimens examined: Al-Ain, 12.iii.2005, CAC. Al-Ajban, 9.xi–7.12.2005, LT & MT, AvH. Sharjah Desert Park, 5–6.x.2004, AvH.  Distribution: Another invasive species with a world-wide distribution ( Wetterer, 2009a). This species feeds upon many household foods, it seems to show a preference for sweets, having been observed feeding on sugar, cakes, and syrups ( Smith, 1965). Outdoors the workers are scavengers, consume dead insects and tend sap-sucking insects, collecting honeydew. Recorded from the UAE (al-Ain) by Collingwood, Tigar & Agosti (1997). Also known from Yemen.