UPDATE: THEY SPIT ACID!!!!
Quote:
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"Now is the time to strike, before it spreads too far."
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http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...E13569,00.html
Crazy ants huge threat to ecology
By CHRIS CARTER
March 01, 2003
An acid-spitting, noxious ant species has invaded the Territory.
CSIRO entomologist Ben Hoffmann yesterday confirmed the discovery of 350ha of yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) colonies in eastern Arnhem Land, a species officially ranked as one of the world's 100 most invasive.
The colonies are located 90km from Nhulunbuy. One colony is 1km long and contains tens of millions of ants.
Dr Hoffmann was involved in the eradication of the African big-headed ant from Kakadu National Park last year, and said the invading insect had the potential to wipe out entire biological ecosystems if it became firmly established in an area.
"It's a threat to native biodiversity, clearly demonstrated on Christmas Island where it has knocked out about one third of the red land crab population," he said. "We definitely don't want it in Australia."
The ant is a major agricultural and household pest, spitting formic acid which can burn skin and cause blindness in extreme cases. CSIRO is working with the Northern Land Council and Dhimurru Land Management to develop and execute an elimination strategy.
"The biology of this ant is in our favour -- they can't spread themselves, they have to be spread by people," Dr Hoffmann said.
"That situation would change should it manage to get to a place like Darwin. It would end up absolutely everywhere.
"Now is the time to strike, before it spreads too far."
Dhimurru Land Management Aboriginal Corporation senior cultural adviser Nanikiya Munungurritj said it was essential the ants were eradicated to preserve indigenous cultural ways in east Arnhem Land.
"We want to try to get rid of this crazy ant as soon as possible before it spreads from my country right down to somewhere like Broome or Queensland," he said.
Northern Territory News
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