I am fascinated by a recent article in a magazine concerning the Yellow crazy-ant species that wiped out 80% of a island's red crabs. D.Attenborough shows the ants squirt formic acid into eyes and mouth of red crab, the crab dehydrates and dies. 80% of
the island's red crab killed in this way.

Australia is trying to turn the tide on these invasive ants. One of their tools is a predator wasp.

But I am wondering if anteaters would be the best solution?

Surely there must be a anteater that is not stopped by formic acid spray.

So, is there a anteater species that can be introduced to this island and put these ants under control???

AP fascinated by yellow-crazy-ant invading islands and wrecking havoc-- is there an Anteater??


AP

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Looking to see if anteaters eat the yellow-crazy-ant.

Says in Indonesia that a toad Ingerophryus celegensis eats these ants, but I suppose nothing compared to say anteaters if they eat this ant.

So instead of spraying chemicals, I recommend moving anteaters and toads to the infested islands. Fight a Natural pest with a natural other animal.

AP

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Why look at that. The anteater produces no stomach acid-- hydrochloric acid on its own, instead, it relies on the formic acid in the ants it eats to digest its food.

So yes, I recommend getting some African or South American anteaters and ship them to these islands infested with yellow crazy ants and control their populations. Also some wasps that parasitize these ants.

AP

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Now I propose to save the red crab and other wildlife flora and fauna on Christmass Island that David Attenborough shows of the disturbing killing of red crab by yellow crazy ants squirting formic acid into the crabs eyes blinding them and reducing their
population by 80%. I propose taking 8 anteaters, 4 breeding pairs to the island.

Stop the chemical treatment for this is a biological problem and needs a biological solution.

Let the anteaters correct the ants, for it is near impossible to remove them all.

And let the anteaters breed but then check up on the anteaters as there could be too much "inbreeding".
And so take the young anteaters back to their original continent and bring over new gene pool anteaters so as to check on inbreeding.

So this would be a multiple study of Ant control, of Anteaters not inbreeding.

A beacon of light in the case of other invasive species wrecking the ecosystem. A chemical solution is just not the answer. A biology problem crisis needs a biology solution.

AP, King of Science, especially Physics

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I first learned of this story from SCIENCE, 7Apr2023, page 55 "Evolutionary biology: Obligate chimerism in male yellow crazy ants"

And was fascinated by the name of "crazy ant". So had to explore more.

Then it was in reading about how invasive a pest was the yellow crazy ant and wiping the population of red crabs from 50 million wiping out 80% of red crab on Christmas Island.

Then I watched the film clip of David Attenborough showing how a few squirts of formic acid from these ants blinds a approaching crab, blinded and stunned it dies of dehydration.

This sounds too wicked of a death of animals, such a small ant killing 80% of red crabs with a squirt of acid to the eyes.

So, well, I offer the idea of importing anteaters that will decimate the yellow crazy ant.

I suppose total eradication of the ant is impossible. Next best thing is anteaters on the island.

AP

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