Ant mega-colony takes over world

Earth News ^ | July 1, 2009 | Matt Walker

[Daveinyork]

Matt Walker Editor, Earth News A queen and worker Argentine ant have many, many relatives 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. In Europe, one vast colony of Argentine ants is thought to stretch for 6,000km (3,700 miles) along the Mediterranean coast, while another in the US, known as the "Californian large", extends over 900km (560 miles) along the coast of California. A third huge colony exists on the west coast of Japan. The enormous extent of this population is paralleled only by human society Entomologists reveal the ant colony's true size While ants are usually highly territorial, those living within each super-colony are tolerant of one another, even if they live tens or hundreds of kilometres apart. Each super-colony, however, was thought to be quite distinct. But it now appears that billions of Argentine ants around the world all actually belong to one single global mega-colony. Researchers in Japan and Spain led by Eiriki Sunamura of the University of Tokyo found that Argentine ants living in Europe, Japan and

[JoeProBono]

[Condor51]

>>> A classic! One of my all time fav sci-fi flicks. <<<

Yeah, mine too.
Its funny but many of those *cheesy* 1950's sci-fi films now ARE 'Classics'.

I wish TCM would show 'Creature From The Black Lagoon'. That's another fave.

[Salamander]

A quick net search brought this:

http://www.organicmatter.net/

Don’t jump on me for it.

I just posted their map.

[wolfcreek]

Thanks! (I wouldn’t jump on you unless....well you know)

Still haven’t seen these critters in my county. Are they the ones who love to eat electrical wiring?

[NYer]

Its funny but many of those *cheesy* 1950's sci-fi films now ARE 'Classics'.

The all time "classic" remains ....

"Klaatu barada nikto."

Think I'll watch it again tonight.

[Salamander]

Beats me.

We only have big black ants, big red ants, medium dittos and these teensy-weensy tiny little black ants who have colonized my whole property boundary/
I like to feed them smashed up peanut butter Ritz Bits.

[they get so excited when they see me coming with the bag]...:)

[wolfcreek]

We've got Carpenter ants that eat wood like a termites, *piss* ants that don't really do anything, large Red ants that seem to be getting more and more scarce ever year (IMO, thanks to the next variety) and our lovely imported from South America FIRE ANTS which can ruin your day if they get a hold of you and are damn near impossibly to get rid of.

[colorado tanker]

Don't let Kutchner know about this - he might start registering them to vote.