I have heard a number of gardeners in the central Texas area complaining about them decimating their crops. I hear they are very hard to control.
-d > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:23:50 -0600 > Subject: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico > > A few months ago there was a thread about leaf-cutter ants. Here's > something new about them from the Yucatan. Such ants can usually be > seen busily at work in Bustamante Canyon. I don't recall seeing them > in Texas, but I wouldn't be surprised if some were found in the > valley. -- Mixon > > > JIM CONRAD’S NATURALIST NEWSLETTER > > Issued from Hacienda Chichén beside the Maya ruin of > > Chichén Itzá in the central Yucatán, MÉXICO > > > > January 17, 2010 > ********** > > RETURN OF THE LEAFCUTTER ANTS > > The owners of Hacienda Chichen are justly proud of their pro- > > environment policies, which includes using as few > > chemicals as possible. The other day a worker not yet > > clear about the policy poisoned a large leafcutter > > nest because the ants had begun defoliating a Tropical > > Almond tree in the parking lot. As soon as we saw what > > had been done we made every effort to scoop all the > > poison and contaminated soil into plastic bags and > > dispose of the bags properly. > > > > Before the poisoning attempt, every day I'd seen the > > ants carrying bits of herbage back to their nest. > > However, after the poisoning for two weeks not a > > single ant was seen at the nest. I felt sure that the > > whole colony had been wiped out. It had been a colony > > as large as the one we saw last year at Yokdzenot. You > > still can read about that big nest and see it at > > http://www.backyardnature.net/yucatan/ant-lfcu.htm > > > > Wednesday morning, there were ants again. Moreover, > > not only had the colony resumed its earlier foraging > > habits, but also they seemed to have redoubled their > > efforts, for now many more ants than before were > > carrying cut-out leaf sections and they were moving > > faster. Anthropomorphically, they looked exactly as if > > they were trying to make up for lost time! You can see > > several on the trunk of a Gumbo-Limbo -- which after > > two days they'd defoliated nearly completely -- at > > http://www.backyardnature.net/n/10/100117lc.jpg > > > > That picture was made about 30 yards or meters from > > their nest and every inch of the trail between there > > and the nest was just as cluttered and bustling with > > leaf-carrying ants as in the picture. > > > > Of course I'm relieved that the nest seems to have > > survived. Sometimes visitors say that for them > > watching the ants is as fascinating as visiting the > > ruins! Also the experience has reminded me how like a > > single living organism an ant colony is. The colony > > became sick, stopped functioning, but then one day > > finally burst from home looking as healthy as ever, > > trying to make up for lost time. In fact, they're out > > there as I type this, a long, long line of them, > > gradually defoliating a hibiscus. > *********** > > Best wishes to all Newsletter Readers. > > > > Jim > > > > Subscribe AND unsubscribe to this Newsletter at > > http://www.backyardnature.net/news/natnat.php > > ---------------------------------------- > A bore is a person who talks when you wish him to listen. > ---------------------------------------- > You may "reply" to the address this message > came from, but for long-term use, save: > Personal: [email protected] > AMCS: [email protected] or [email protected] > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] > _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390706/direct/01/
