An ant capable of spitting acid and decimating local wildlife populations has caused ongoing grief to Queensland communities, but there are new weapons in the fight against them.
Purpose-built drones and DNA analysis are emerging tools that could help Queensland communities manage an invasive pest known as yellow crazy ants.Boots laced, protective gear on and drones in the sky; these soldiers are ready for battle.
The ants infiltrated the wiring in her home and damaged it to the point that she couldn't turn the lights on.Scott Hardy runs the natural resource management program at the Whitsunday Regional Council and said he had serious concerns about their impact on coastal ecosystems.Ants may live in the soil but eradication teams are working in the sky to manage the problem pest.
James Cook University researcher Peter Yeeles said the university had been trialling a technique called Environmental DNA analysis, to help detect the species. Dr Yeeles said while the technology was still in its early stages, he was hopeful it could be a helpful tool in the future.In the wet tropics in far north Queensland, yellow crazy ant eradication costs $6 million a year and the ants haven't been fully eradicated yet.
Pest Control Local Government Crazy Yellow Ants Ant Control Invasive Species Ant Infestation Ant Spitting Acid Dna Analysis Drones
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