BBC News
8-13-4
A giant colony of ants stretching 100km (62 miles) has been discovered in the Australian city of Melbourne, threatening local insect species.
The ants, which were imported from Argentina, are ranked among the world's 100 worst animal invaders.
Although they exist in their usual smaller group size in their homeland, the colonies have merged in Australia to create one massive super colony.
Experts fear that the invasion poses a threat to biodiversity in the area.
Introduced pest
Elissa Suhr, from Monash University, Melbourne, said the introduced pest's natural aggression kept numbers under control in its native country.
But the lack of genetic diversity in the ants found in Australia has allowed them to build a super colony.
"In Argentina, their native homeland, ant colonies span tens of metres, are genetically diverse and highly aggressive towards one another," Dr Suhr said.
"So population numbers never explode and they are no threat to other plants and animals.
"When they arrived in Australia, in 1939, a change in their structure occurred, changing their behaviour so that they are not aggressive towards one another. This has resulted in the colonies becoming one super colony."
Dr Suhr said the Argentine ants have killed native ants, and consumed many other insects, posing a major threat to biodiversity.
Taking over
She said Argentine ants could even displace native species by taking over local habitats and preying on insects commonly eaten by Australian ants.
Australia is not the only country to be invaded by Argentine ants, according to Dr Suhr.
"In California, they have displaced native ants, decreased the diversity of other native insects, affected the dispersal of seeds and even decreased lizard numbers," she said.
Australian scientists are studying colonies in Perth and Adelaide to see if they share the same genetic structure and behaviour as the Melbourne ants.
If they do, a super colony several thousand miles wide could spread across southern Australia.
© BBC MMIV
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3561352.stm
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
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illuminati
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 12:00 pm
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
illuminati;632 wrote: BBC News
8-13-4
A giant colony of ants stretching 100km (62 miles) has been discovered in the Australian city of Melbourne, threatening local insect species.
The ants, which were imported from Argentina, are ranked among the world's 100 worst animal invaders.
Although they exist in their usual smaller group size in their homeland, the colonies have merged in Australia to create one massive super colony.
Experts fear that the invasion poses a threat to biodiversity in the area.
Introduced pest
Elissa Suhr, from Monash University, Melbourne, said the introduced pest's natural aggression kept numbers under control in its native country.
But the lack of genetic diversity in the ants found in Australia has allowed them to build a super colony.
"In Argentina, their native homeland, ant colonies span tens of metres, are genetically diverse and highly aggressive towards one another," Dr Suhr said.
"So population numbers never explode and they are no threat to other plants and animals.
"When they arrived in Australia, in 1939, a change in their structure occurred, changing their behaviour so that they are not aggressive towards one another. This has resulted in the colonies becoming one super colony."
Dr Suhr said the Argentine ants have killed native ants, and consumed many other insects, posing a major threat to biodiversity.
Taking over
She said Argentine ants could even displace native species by taking over local habitats and preying on insects commonly eaten by Australian ants.
Australia is not the only country to be invaded by Argentine ants, according to Dr Suhr.
"In California, they have displaced native ants, decreased the diversity of other native insects, affected the dispersal of seeds and even decreased lizard numbers," she said.
Australian scientists are studying colonies in Perth and Adelaide to see if they share the same genetic structure and behaviour as the Melbourne ants.
If they do, a super colony several thousand miles wide could spread across southern Australia.
© BBC MMIV
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3561352.stm
I assume you have thought of introducing anteaters?
8-13-4
A giant colony of ants stretching 100km (62 miles) has been discovered in the Australian city of Melbourne, threatening local insect species.
The ants, which were imported from Argentina, are ranked among the world's 100 worst animal invaders.
Although they exist in their usual smaller group size in their homeland, the colonies have merged in Australia to create one massive super colony.
Experts fear that the invasion poses a threat to biodiversity in the area.
Introduced pest
Elissa Suhr, from Monash University, Melbourne, said the introduced pest's natural aggression kept numbers under control in its native country.
But the lack of genetic diversity in the ants found in Australia has allowed them to build a super colony.
"In Argentina, their native homeland, ant colonies span tens of metres, are genetically diverse and highly aggressive towards one another," Dr Suhr said.
"So population numbers never explode and they are no threat to other plants and animals.
"When they arrived in Australia, in 1939, a change in their structure occurred, changing their behaviour so that they are not aggressive towards one another. This has resulted in the colonies becoming one super colony."
Dr Suhr said the Argentine ants have killed native ants, and consumed many other insects, posing a major threat to biodiversity.
Taking over
She said Argentine ants could even displace native species by taking over local habitats and preying on insects commonly eaten by Australian ants.
Australia is not the only country to be invaded by Argentine ants, according to Dr Suhr.
"In California, they have displaced native ants, decreased the diversity of other native insects, affected the dispersal of seeds and even decreased lizard numbers," she said.
Australian scientists are studying colonies in Perth and Adelaide to see if they share the same genetic structure and behaviour as the Melbourne ants.
If they do, a super colony several thousand miles wide could spread across southern Australia.
© BBC MMIV
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3561352.stm
I assume you have thought of introducing anteaters?
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Bored_Wombat
- Posts: 377
- Joined: Thu Oct 05, 2006 5:33 am
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
Okie;651053 wrote: I assume you have thought of introducing anteaters?
Echological niches are dangerous to disturb by introduced species: It's often a very bad idea. :yh_shame
In this case, you'll cause a demarkation dispute with the short-beaked echidna. And echidnas are way cooler than anteaters, because they lay eggs like a platypus.
OTOH I heard someone saying that because they're all one colony, they might be able to be poisoned.
Echological niches are dangerous to disturb by introduced species: It's often a very bad idea. :yh_shame
In this case, you'll cause a demarkation dispute with the short-beaked echidna. And echidnas are way cooler than anteaters, because they lay eggs like a platypus.
OTOH I heard someone saying that because they're all one colony, they might be able to be poisoned.
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
I'm emigrating forthwith!! How's Oklahoma these days, Okie???
"Life is too short to ski with ugly men"
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
Surely the answer is simple. Go back to Argentina and import a thousand new breeding colonies into Melbourne. The genetic trigger to get them fighting each other kicks in again, numbers plummet and you're left with a small invasion rather than the end of the world.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
Why the heck didn't I think of that?????
"Life is too short to ski with ugly men"
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Bored_Wombat
- Posts: 377
- Joined: Thu Oct 05, 2006 5:33 am
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
spot;655531 wrote: Surely the answer is simple. Go back to Argentina and import a thousand new breeding colonies into Melbourne. The genetic trigger to get them fighting each other kicks in again, numbers plummet and you're left with a small invasion rather than the end of the world.
Monash Uni did some research on Christmas Island (where these little buggers are cheefully decimating the red crab poulation), where baiting seemed initially effective on the supercolonies. (Press release here)
Because the ants are one colony, once you kill one breeding nest, the workers take the poison from the defunt colony to a new one, and re-poison a new set of eggs. It might be quite useful that they are so genetically similar.
Monash Uni did some research on Christmas Island (where these little buggers are cheefully decimating the red crab poulation), where baiting seemed initially effective on the supercolonies. (Press release here)
Because the ants are one colony, once you kill one breeding nest, the workers take the poison from the defunt colony to a new one, and re-poison a new set of eggs. It might be quite useful that they are so genetically similar.
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HumanBeast
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:33 pm
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
Get out the steamroller, people. 
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kayleneaussie
- Posts: 9127
- Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2007 3:11 am
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
AussiePam;655520 wrote: I'm emigrating forthwith!! How's Oklahoma these days, Okie???
i AM COMING WITH YOU PAM :driving:
i AM COMING WITH YOU PAM :driving:
FOC THREAD PART 1
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
It's a bit chilly in Oklahoma now anyway, Fuzzy and Kay!!! They're under ice apparently. Now if we could get a decent ice storm up and running Down Under we could freeze the bitey little buggars clean off the map. I think the Brits get a kick out of imagining Australia to be full of noxious, nasty, feral, poisonous monsters / creepie crawlies etc. Or did we arrange for them to have this disinformation to keep foreigners far from our sunny shores???? :-6
"Life is too short to ski with ugly men"
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
Killer ants and giant squid in another thread. I'm getting ascared!
;)
;)
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
Gee is the giant squid one of ours too???? Gosh.. I really am emigrating now!!!
"Life is too short to ski with ugly men"
Killer Ants Threaten Australia
Look Fuzzy, tell ya what.. I've just finished doing a big shop - cooking stuff for New Year and all. I'm not going to start making terrines, shortbread etc etc till tomorrow - and it's a lovely Saturday arvo - Wanna come ride a wave or two? Dunno where you're located, but zot on over and I'll meet you at Circular Quay at the Manly Ferry wharf!! I'm up for wrassling a giant squid if necessary - it'll cook up fine on the barbie, after our swim.
"Life is too short to ski with ugly men"