Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Desertdog on May 15, 2009, 08:06:08 PM
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those of you that live in Fire Ant country may have a new weapon.
New weapon turns fire ants into headless zombies
http://www.wbbm780.com/New-weapon-turns-fire-ants-into-headless-zombies/4388429
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Researchers in Texas are trying an unusual approach to combat fire ants - deploying parasitic flies that turn the pesky and economically costly insects into zombies whose heads fall off.
The biting, territorial fire ants cost the Texas economy about $1 billion annually by damaging electrical equipment, according to a Texas A&M study. They can also threaten young calves.
But now the researchers are trying a tiny phorid fly, native to a region of South America where the fire ants originated. Researchers have learned that fire ants in their home region are kept under control by as many as 23 phorid species.
The flies lay eggs on the fire ants, and the eggs hatch into maggots inside the ant and eat away at the pest's tiny brain.
The ant will get up and wander for about two weeks while the maggot feeds, said Rob Plowes, a research associate at the University of Texas at Austin.
"There is no brain left in the ant, and the ant just starts wandering aimlessly," he said.
About a month after the egg is laid, the ant's head falls off - and a new fly emerges ready to attack another fire ant.
"They're not going to completely wipe out the fire ant, but it's a way to control their population," said Scott Ludwig, an integrated pest management specialist with Texas A&M's AgriLife Extension Service in Overton, in East Texas.
Four phorid species have been introduced in the state since 1999. They don't attack native ants or other species and have been introduced in other Gulf Coast states, Plowes told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
But it will take time to determine if the flies are effective in Texas, perhaps as long as a decade.
"It's not an immediate silver-bullet impact," Plowes said.
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I read about this the other day.
In fact, I read about the fly a few years ago while reading up on fire ants.
Scientists have been aware of these flies for some time. We were reluctant to bring another intrusive species into the US in order to deal with the first intrusive species because we didn't know how it would react to other wildlife.
So far, it seems the fly is only going after the fire ants. Wonderful news.
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What did the one fire ant say to the other fire ant?
"Are you ok? It looks like something's eating at you."
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WTF when will we ever learn? We introduce an invasive speices, or it migrates into our country, so the way to combat this is....drum roll....by introducing another foriegn species?
:O
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WTF when will we ever learn? We introduce an invasive speices, or it migrates into our country, so the way to combat this is....drum roll....by introducing another foriegn species?
:O
Sure! You have a rodent problem and bring in snakes, then you bring in mongooses to deal with the snakes, then dingos or some such for the mongooses, then lethal parasites for the dingos. . .
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No no... as I recall the plan was to bring in Gorillas who would then freeze to death during the winter:
Skinner: ahh, but as it turns out the lizards where a god send since they've eaten all the pigeons.
Lisa: Isn't that a little short sighted, what happens when where up to our ears with lizards?
Skinner: Ah, well we shall simply release wave after wave of Chinese needles snakes.
Lisa: then what about the snakes?
Skinner: We simply import gorillas who will eat all the snakes.
Lisa: Well what happens when where up to our ears in gorilla's!
Skinner: Ah that's the beauty of the thing, come winter the gorillas will freeze to death.
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WTF when will we ever learn? We introduce an invasive speices, or it migrates into our country, so the way to combat this is....drum roll....by introducing another foriegn species?
Sometimes....yes.
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Great!......fire ants are bad enough.....but ZOMBIE FIRE ANTS!!!! :mad:
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Great!......fire ants are bad enough.....but ZOMBIE FIRE ANTS!!!!
They are Zombie ants for a little while. When their heads fall off, they become DEAD ants.
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So far, it seems the fly is only going after the fire ants. Wonderful news.
What will happen when the flies run out of fire ants? Will they politely starve or start thinking there's a whole bunch of other creatures around...with Braiiiinnnssss! :laugh:
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Plowes said fire ants are "very aware" of these tiny flies, and it only takes a few to cause the ants to modify their behavior.
"Just one or two flies can control movement or above-ground activity," Plowes said. "It's kind of like a medieval activity where you're putting a castle under siege."
(from another version of the story)
This, to me, is one of the VERY important benefits of this fly.
The ants become "afraid" to wander and spread as they have been for the past 50+ years. According to my understanding of the researchers, it's unlikely the flies will eliminate the ants.
Controlling them, keeping them contained and limiting their wandering is a VERY good thing, though.
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The phorid fly a.k.a. warden fly.
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Are fired ants still eligible for unemployment even if they no longer have there brains?
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BRRRAAAAIIIIINNNNNSSSSS
(Could not resist)
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I saw this episode!
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftbn2.google.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AviHuJ7p9C0vgMM%3A%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fthumb%2F8%2F8f%2FBart_the_Mother.png%2F200px-Bart_the_Mother.png&hash=377ba46ede598210fdaf8ccec2a6849ebf48be78)
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*ponder*
Ants contain a fair amount of formic acid, and they're a consistent target.
Have some scientist find the dielectric properties of the formic acid as it's found in the ant, make a controlled resonant RF transmitter unit matched to the best wavelength for differential heating, mount it on a boom to a truck with a faraday cage for the operator, lower directional antenna over fire ant nest.
Flip the switch, and listen to the crackling. Eradicate all ants within range, the entire nest plus some, in a couple minutes at most.
I was thinking ultrasonic cavitation at first but the dissipation would be too great.
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dead ant, dead ant, deadant-deadant-deadant...
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*ponder*
Ants contain a fair amount of formic acid, and they're a consistent target.
Have some scientist find the dielectric properties of the formic acid as it's found in the ant, make a controlled resonant RF transmitter unit matched to the best wavelength for differential heating, mount it on a boom to a truck with a faraday cage for the operator, lower directional antenna over fire ant nest.
Flip the switch, and listen to the crackling. Eradicate all ants within range, the entire nest plus some, in a couple minutes at most.
I was thinking ultrasonic cavitation at first but the dissipation would be too great.
I like the way you think, boy... yessiree...
Come over here, away from that crowd... I've got an offer.... (puffing cigar)
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"There is no brain left in the ant, and the ant just starts wandering aimlessly,"
I can't quite decide if this is also a good description of democrats and the media following Obama. Or is it a good description of the republican party with no message and no direction.
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*ponder*
Ants contain a fair amount of formic acid, and they're a consistent target.
Have some scientist find the dielectric properties of the formic acid as it's found in the ant, make a controlled resonant RF transmitter unit matched to the best wavelength for differential heating, mount it on a boom to a truck with a faraday cage for the operator, lower directional antenna over fire ant nest.
Flip the switch, and listen to the crackling. Eradicate all ants within range, the entire nest plus some, in a couple minutes at most.
If you build it, they will come
I was thinking ultrasonic cavitation at first but the dissipation would be too great.
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Flys320's are your texting while landing again ??
=D =D =D
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Shhhhh... gotta concentrate.
Tell me again which lever steers this thing?
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It's the red one that says "Eject" =D
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FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Researchers in Texas are trying an unusual approach to combat fire ants - deploying parasitic flies that turn the pesky and economically costly insects into zombies whose heads fall off.
Enough speculation, where can I get about 150 acres worth of these flies?