Brain-eating maggots could save Texas $1 billion, create legions of "zombie ants"
From the "brain-eating maggots solve every problem" file (it's a thicker file than you'd imagine): Researchers from UT and Texas A&M's AgriLife Extension Service are looking to curb the destructive behavior of the state's fire ant population with a species of fly whose larvae feed on ant brains.
clipped from news.nationalgeographic.com
Brain-Controlling Flies to Triumph Over Alien Ants?
Plentiful in fire ants' South American home ranges, phorid fly females inject their eggs into the fire ants.
The egg develops into a maggot, which appears to control the ant's behavior. The maggot "directs" the ant to a moist, leafy place—phorid larvae are vulnerable to drying out—a safe distance from other fire ants.
The larva then eats the ant's brains, causes the ant's head to fall off, then finally "hatches" from the ant's hollowed-out head about 40 days later.
clipped from news.nationalgeographic.com
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As the eggs of a new type of phorid fly develops inside the heads of red imported fire ants, it takes over the control of the host, said Dr. Scott Ludwig, Texas AgriLife Extension Service integrated pest management specialist. Ludwig released fire ants infested with the parasite at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton on April 29. (Texas AgriLife Extension photo by Robert Burns)
Fire ants infested by a new type of phorid fly released in East Texas by Dr. Scott Ludwig were raised by Dr. Lawrence Gilbert, director of the Brackenridge Field Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin. (Texas AgriLife Extension photo by Robert Burns)
clipped from www.youtube.comZombie fire ants
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Red imported fire ant
The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), or simply RIFA, is one of over 280 species in the widespread genus Solenopsis. Although the red imported fire ant is native to South America, it has become a pest in the southern United States, Australia, Taiwan, Philippines, and the southern Chinese province of Guangdong.
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In the 1930s, colonies were accidentally introduced into the United States through the seaport of Mobile, Alabama[2]. Cargo ships from Brazil docking at Mobile unloaded goods infested with the ants. They have since spread from Alabama to almost every state of the American South, from Texas to Maryland. Since the 1990s, infestations have been reported in California in the West and New Mexico in the Southwest, but probably via ship or truck (not overland) in the case of California.[1].
clipped from en.wikipedia.org
Fire ant distribution in the [[United states of America]].
clipped from en.wikipedia.org
In less than 10 seconds, an unwary scientist was stung over 250 times on one leg when he carelessly knelt on a collapsed fire ant mound. The sterile pustules developed to this stage in 3 days.
clipped from www.youtube.comRed Fire Ants
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Sources:
- Brain-eating maggots could save Texas $1 billion, create legions of "zombie ants" | Features | City Life | Austin | Decider
- Brain-Controlling Flies to Triumph Over Alien Ants?
- Texas Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Project - News
- YouTube - Zombie fire ants
- Red imported fire ant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Fire ant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- YouTube - Red Fire Ants
