Discover a natural antidote to eliminate invasive species of ants

The experiment was crowned with success, and the colony was wiped out within a few years. Larvae contaminated with infested worker ants were particularly fragile.

Scientists want to eradicate the "crazy brown ants" that are destroying ecosystems. To achieve this goal, an antidote to this species will be tested in the spring in Texas.

The Swiss newspaper "Le Temps" says in a report that scientists studying the behavior of ants that have destroyed wildlife in the southeastern United States for 20 years, may have found a natural antidote to get rid of this invasive species of ants, which is a pathogen similar to fungi. The study , conducted by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, was published by the American Academy of Sciences.

The study's lead author, Edward LeBrun, confirmed to AFP that the fungus has already wiped out swarms of ants and will be tested in spring in sensitive environments in Texas to protect the endangered species.

Plague of wildlife and humans

The newspaper pointed out that the "crazy brown ant" is called this because of its irregular movements, and its origin is from Argentina and Brazil and arrived in the United States by boat.

This type of ant feeds on other invading types of ants called "fire" ants because of their poison that causes painful bites, and also attacks animals such as scorpions, snakes, lizards and birds, through the secretion of formic acid, which also protects it from the poison of other types of ants.

Edward described a "terrifying sight" while talking about swarms of ants inhabiting trees in an area of ​​Estero Lano Grande Park in Texas, where local wildlife had disappeared. These ants destroy ecosystems and are also considered an "epidemic" for humans.

Where ants colonize electrical systems and disable meters, air conditioners and pumps. These ants are affected only by highly toxic pesticides that only slow their progression and leave piles of dead ants that must then be removed.

Discovery of 2014

About 8 years ago, Edward LeBron and one of the study's co-authors, Rob Blows, discovered that dead ants recovered in Florida had abnormally swollen stomachs.

The analyzes revealed the presence of microsporidia, a type of pathogenic fungi, which was not known until then. Microsporidia often invade the fat cells of insects and turn them into germ-producing factories. The newspaper pointed out that the origin of this pathogen is not clear, and it may return to South America or another insect, but it spreads in Texas.

Of the 15 colonies studied over an 8-year period, the number of ants decreased when the pathogen was detected there, and about 60% of the ant colonies were eliminated.

Time consuming process

As part of the experiments, the researchers introduced ants infected with the pathogen to an uninfected colony in a protected area, and placed a sausage that attracts the ants to mix the two groups.

Crazy brown ants live in "super colonies" where groups don't fight for control of an area, which is an important advantage that allows ants to colonize new areas, but at the same time is one of their main weaknesses, as it allows the fungi to spread unimpeded. The experiment was crowned with success, and the colony was wiped out within a few years. Larvae contaminated with infested worker ants were particularly fragile.

According to Edward LeBran, this has two good news. The first is the presence of a natural pathogen that specifically targets invasive species by limiting their ability to invade the ecosystem; The second is the ability of scientists to accelerate the spread of this pathogen to get rid of the crazy brown ants quickly. The researcher explains that this process will take time, noting that this type of ant will not disappear overnight.

Source : Le Point