Ant mega-colony takes over world

BBC/UK ^ | Wednesday, 1 July 2009 | Matt Walker

[xcamel]

A single mega-colony of ants has colonised much of the world, scientists have discovered.

Argentine ants living in vast numbers across Europe, the US and Japan belong to the same inter-related colony, and will refuse to fight one another.

The colony may be the largest of its type ever known for any insect species, and could rival humans in the scale of its world domination.

What's more, people are unwittingly helping the mega-colony stick together.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) were once native to South America. But people have unintentionally introduced the ants to all continents except Antarctica.

These introduced Argentine ants are renowned for forming large colonies, and for becoming a significant pest, attacking native animals and crops.

[xcamel]

Run!!!!

[Rebelbase]

[Wisconsinlady]

“”Humans created this great non-aggressive ant population,” the researchers write.”

Of course it is our fault-why doesn’t this surprise me?

[Pedrobud]

Gotta be Bush’s fault !!

[F15Eagle]

[NormsRevenge]

The most plausible explanation is that ants from these three super-colonies are indeed family, and are all genetically related, say the researchers. When they come into contact, they recognise each other by the chemical composition of their cuticles.

—

wow. they have cuticles?

[SE Mom]

Ants? From Argentina? Did they make their way to South Carolina on the sole of the governor’s shoes?

[antidemoncrat]

If they try to come through Texas, they will have to get by the fire ant population. Good luck with that!

[norraad]

..they don't like microwaves either, when I see'um glom onto crumbs on a plate left out I just pop it in the microwave (pop being the operative word).

What else, folks, how do you fight the little critters?

[jakerobins]

[B-Chan]

I, for one, welcome our new ant overlords.

[Tribune7]

[Cicero]

while another in the US, known as the "Californian large", extends over 900km (560 miles) along the coast of California.

And I'll be that Arnold is giving them all welfare payments.

[dfwgator]

"One thing is for certain, there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. I’d like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to…toil in their underground sugar caves."

[BlueNgold]

OK... NOW can we light them on fire?

[CA Conservative]

If they try to come through Texas, they will have to get by the fire ant population. Good luck with that!

I used to be a pest control operator in Texas. You have both fire ants and Argentine ants - I'd rather deal with the Argentine ants any day...

[Redcitizen]

All youe aphids are belong to us.

[savedbygrace]

This could be the solution to our unemployment problem. Pay the unemployed to squash Argentine Ants.

You’d have to pay them by the ant, though, to make sure they aren’t just goofing off all day.

[Rebelbase]

“What else, folks, how do you fight the little critters? “

I was always partial to gasoline and a match.

[50mm]

[KJC1]

[dfwgator]

"The ant's a clever little bastard. You can track him for days and days until you really get to know him like a friend. He knows you're there, and you know he's there. It's a game of wits. You hate him, then you respect him, then you kill him."

"A lot of people have asked us why we don't use fly spray. Well, where's the sport in that?"

[jmcenanly]

More likely in the root ball of some imported plant. Earthworms travel the same way.

[Jeff Chandler]

However, the irony is that it is us who likely created the ant mega-colony by initially transporting the insects around the world

Predicate nominative.

[Westbrook]

Believe it or not, tobacco is extremely effective.

I don’t know why.

Just tear open a few cigarettes around an ant mound. They’ll carry it in for food. The next time it rains, or just add water, and they’re done.

I’m not a smoker, but my brother told me about this trick. You can eliminate whole colonies.

[Bon mots]

Beer works for snails.
Tobacco for ants.
They don’t like cucumber skin either.

[Dusty Road]

" If they try to come through Texas" These boy's say "bring it on"

[FormerACLUmember]

Distribution of the super-colonies:

[Westbrook]

> Beer works for snails.

Yup doesn’t take much. Just a little platter with some beer in it. Seems to do a number on flying insects, too.

[Nachum]

We had a horrible ant problem last year. Pesticides did not work, ant bait didn’t work. The only thing that got rid of them was this little electronic sonic device. It cost about 15 dollars and we haven’t had a problem since.

[Nachum]

We had a horrible ant problem last year. Pesticides did not work, ant bait didn’t work. The only thing that got rid of them was this little electronic sonic device. It cost about 15 dollars and we haven’t had a problem since.

[Mr. Silverback]

Well, to be fair, they say we did it by moving them around...they don’t actually blame us for anything bad.

[workerbee]

What, no global warming tie-in?!?!?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

wow. they have cuticles?

Of course. You didn't expect all of them to have private offices with doors, did you?

[Right Wing Assault]

Are they muslims?

[KarinG1]

I’ll bet they don’t show their little ant faces in East Texas. We have ants here that leave scars on people (I have a few on my own ankles). Those little suckers wouldn’t stand a chance here.

[txhurl]

Are these 18-year-old ants, lol.

This is the first I’ve heard of the tobacco treatment.

[Axenolith]

Argentine ants fight a lot more co-operatively than other species. Between that and numbers they generally win even though they’re smaller...

[Hot Tabasco]

Believe it or not, tobacco is extremely effective. I don’t know why.

Because the govt. ultimately gets wind of what they are doing and then taxes them to death......

[TXnMA]

Hey, those Argentine ants can't be all bad. The photo at

http://www.myrmecos.net/myrmicinae/SolInv7.JPG (Just respecting copyright...)

shows them fighting the nasty critters known here in the Piney Woods as "Far Aints"...

[TXnMA]

LOL! I just noticed that the same photographer (Alex Wild) also took the photo in the posted article...

[TXnMA]

"If they try to come through Texas, they will have to get by the fire ant population. "

See the photo linked in #40

There may be hope, yet...

[giotto]

how do you fight the little critters?

Terro works great for the little sugar ants we have in California.

[Seeing More Clearly Now]

Hey, they’re hard workers, have a strong sense of family and are role models for a strong work ethic without unionization.

[SunkenCiv]

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