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Rena · 05-15-2009, 02:04 AM

War against fire ants now involves zombies - St. Petersburg Times

Quote:

Brains!

War against fire ants now involves zombies

Is it a little sadistic to cackle at the new way researchers in Texas have developed to combat fire ants? You decide: The researchers are introducing a species of phorid flies in the region. The flies lay eggs on the ants. The eggs hatch, releasing a tiny maggot inside the ant. The maggot finds ant brain delicious. The now-brainless ant wanders around without a plan until about four weeks later when its head falls off. Then a new fly bursts out of the ant's remains, ready to attack another ant. "They're not going to completely wipe out the fire ant, but it's a way to control their population," said Scott Ludwig, a pest management specialist with Texas A&M's AgriLife Extension Service. Plus it provides the structure for what would be an awesome horror flick.

It does sound like a decent horror flick.

Riss · 05-15-2009, 02:14 AM

Woohoo, zombies. Now, all they have to work on is developing this for humans.

I really hope this isn't going to end up wiping out the entire species, though.

Rena · 05-15-2009, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riss

I really hope this isn't going to end up wiping out the entire species, though.

Of ants?

... Not likely.

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