Killer ants could take a bite out of cane toad problem (Australia. Short video)

New Scientist ^ | Mar. 30, 2009 | Rachel Nowak

[decimon]

Eat them alive, or at least get predatory ants to do it for us – that's the latest proposal for dealing with the invasion of tropical Australia by toxic cane toads.

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Cane toad (Bufo marinus) young are more susceptible to being eaten by Australian meat ants (Iridomyrmex purpureus) than the young of native frogs, raising the possibility that meat ants might make a safe biocontrol agent, according to a team led by Rick Shine of the University of Sydney.

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[trisham]

That was my first thought. But then, the ants are indigenous and not introduced like the cane toads.

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Indigenous, and yet to date they haven't already resolved this problem? Call me sceptical.