Power-Crazed Super Ants Invade England.. Hidcote Manor..!!!

From Sky News..4:43pm UK, Saturday August 01, 2009

Swarming super ants with a fatal attraction to electricity have invaded one of England's finest National Trust gardens.


Asian super ants are attracted to electricity
Colonies of lasius neglectus, known as the Asian super ant, were uncovered at the historic Hidcote Manor, near Chipping Camden, Gloucestershire.
It is thought to be the first time the species has been recorded in the UK, although the ants have been spotted in Germany, Hungary, France, Spain and Poland.
The species was first identified in Budapest 20 years ago and looks like a common black garden ant.
They look just the same as the common black garden ant, although there will be 10 to a hundred times as many of them.
English Heritage entomologist Brian Ridout
The ants at Hidcote were formally identified after following investigations by English Heritage and the National Trust.
The Asian super ant can form super-colonies with many queens and interconnected nests spreading over a hectare.

Lasius neglectus close up


The species is highly dependent on aphid honeydew and are associated with a wide range of tree species.
Like American Fire Ants, they are also fatally drawn to electric currents, which make them produce a pheromone that attracts other ants.
Swarms of ants around electric cables can cause blackouts and can even be a fire risk.
English Heritage entomologist Brian Ridout said: "They look just the same as the common black garden ant, although there will be 10 to a hundred times as many of them."


The invaders can form super-colonies
Simon Ford, of the National Trust in Wessex, said 35,000 ant carcasses were found inside just one electrical junction box in Hidcote.
"The ants themselves pose little direct threat to us as they don't bite people or pets," he said.
"But their habit of creating super-colonies means they pose a threat to native species by out-competing them for food and space, and their attraction to electrical circuitry means they could pose a fire risk.
"Researchers have feared for several years that this species would make it to the UK."
The ants have so far proven to be resistant to insect poison so the National Trust is now working with pest controllers to investigate its options, including bait systems and controlling the ants' food source - the aphids.

 

:( Have you heard about this Pal.?:(