Them!!!!

[Surtt]

Giant mutant ant colony found in Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) - A huge ant colony measuring 100 kilometres (62 miles) across has been found under the southern Australian city of Melbourne, scientists said.

Monash University researcher Elissa Suhr said the supercolony of Argentine ants was threatening native biodiversity in Australia's second largest city.

Suhr said the introduced pest's natural aggression kept numbers under control in its native country but the genetic make-up of the ants found in Australia had mutated allowing them to cooperate to build the supercolony.

"In Argentina, their native homeland, ant colonies span tens of metres, are genetically diverse and highly aggressive towards one another," Suhr said.

"So population numbers never explode and they are no threat to other plants and animals.

"When they arrived in Australia, a change in their structure occurred, changing their behaviour so that they are not aggressive towards one another. This has resulted in the colonies becoming one supercolony."

Suhr said the Argentine ants killed native ants and the insect life they normally preyed upon, posing a major threat to biodiversity.

She said Argentine ants were ranked among the world's 100 worst animal invaders and had found an ideal habitat in the Mediterranean-type eco-systems of south-eastern Australia.

[Yossarian]

They came from the desert you know...

[heybrad]

Give my wife some bug spray and a plane ticket to Australia and she'd send these ants to the depths of hell.

She hates ants.

[Franklinnoble]

I've got a drawer full of old socks that might come in handy...

[Axxon]

There must be one heck of a queen down there. Yikes.

[Buccaneer]

Reminds me of rabbits.

[Thomkal]

We had an exterminator here a couple weeks ago who found six nests of Argentine ants in our yard. We had them in our house in the kitchen. I'm just glad the nests weren't 62 miles across.

[Chief Rum]

I have seen this episode!

Homer: Hey, look! Those frogs are eating all their crops. (everyone starts laughing)

Lisa: Well, that's what happens when you introduce foreign species into an ecosystem that can't handle them. (flash to evil koala bear hitching ride)

***

and the Simpsons' provide the solution as well...

Skinner: Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.

Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?

Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.

Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse?

Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.

Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas!

Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.

CR

[duckman]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I have seen this episode!

Homer: Hey, look! Those frogs are eating all their crops. (everyone starts laughing)

Lisa: Well, that's what happens when you introduce foreign species into an ecosystem that can't handle them. (flash to evil koala bear hitching ride)

***

and the Simpsons' provide the solution as well...

Skinner: Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.

Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?

Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.

Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse?

Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.

Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas!

Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.

CR

That's awesome! I had a good chuckle after reading that.

[samifan24]

pics plz

[bbor]

Originally Posted by heybrad

Give my wife some bug spray and a plane ticket to Australia and she'd send these ants to the depths of hell.

She hates ants.

My wife squishes them between her fingers....it impresses me very muchly.