Christmas Island Yellow Crazy Ants

By sarah keartes sarahkeartes 16 dec 2016 a swarm of crazy yellow ants is endangering the rainforest and killing red crabs on christmas island.

Christmas island yellow crazy ants. Sometime between 1915 and 1934 humans accidentally introduced yellow crazy ants to the island an australian territory in the indian ocean. Anoplolepsis gracilipes was accidentally introduced to christmas island 1915 and 1934 and widespread to the entire island. The crazy ants of christmas island. Interestingly yellow crazy ants were present on christmas island for decades before having an obvious ecological impact.

The yellow crazy ant was introduced by accident to christmas island in the indian ocean about 70 years back. In 1989 a single super colony of yellow crazy ants was discovered in christmas island and more were again found from 1995 to 1997 surveys indicating the existence of at least. Like several other invasive ants such as. Yellow crazy ant has unusually long leg and antennae.

This is because the biocontrol agent being released on christmas island targets a particular scale insect the ant s primary food source on the island. Crazy ants defend themselves by spraying formic acid one of nature s most powerful acids. Australia wildlife share icon. 16 dec 2016.

The particular biological control agent for christmas island is not likely to help control yellow crazy ant infestations found on australia s mainland in the northern territory and queensland. The yellow crazy ant anoplolepis gracilipes is a species of ant originally from southeast asia that has been accidentally introduced to numerous places in the world s tropics. Why are yellow crazy ants such a problem for christmas island. A supercolony of yellow crazy ants might have up to 1000 ants per square metre.

Ecologists reveal a plan to curb the pests. Yellow crazy ants were accidentally introduced to christmas island between 1915 and 1934. It is colloquially called crazy because of its erratic movements when disturbed. These exotic ants can be identified by their light yellow coloring and super long legs and antennae.

It quickly got a foothold and started to take over. Population yellow crazy ant colonies once formed expand rapidly expanding roughly 3 meters every day. The formic acid that the ants produce at. By the 1990s the ants started forming vast super.

It was also introduced to australia accidentally. The formation of damaging super colonies is a recent phenomenon with the first one found in 1989 in scrubby forest on a rocky terrace high above the grotto. Its long legs and antennae make it one of the largest invasive ant species in the world.