It's like something from a science fiction movie--zombie ants. Animal fact or fiction?
Click the button next to your choice. Then, click the "GO" button to see how you did.
You're right! Good job! Fire ants cost the Texas economy about $1 billion annually by damaging circuit breakers and other electrical equipment, according to a Texas A&M study. They can also threaten the lives of young calves. To help control the population of fire ants, and the damage they cause, a tiny species of parasitic fly (the phorid fly) was introduced in Texas in 1999. These flies are native to a region of South America, where the fire ants in Texas originated.
There are now four species of phorid fly working on fire ant population control. They do this by dive-bombing into the fire ants and laying eggs. Once the egg hatches, the maggot migrates to the ant's head and starts eating its brain. The ant starts exhibiting zombie-like behavior, wandering away from the mound as though the fly is controlling the its mind. After a while, the ant's head falls off, it dies and, a new generation of phorid fly emerges to attack more fire ants and lay eggs.
Rob Plowes, a research associate at the University of Texas, said he "wouldn't use the word 'control' to describe what is happening. There is no brain left in the ant, and the ant just starts wandering aimlessly. This wandering stage goes on for about two weeks."
Phorid flies are USDA-approved and don't attack native ant species. They have been introduced in other Gulf Coast states, according to Plowes. Although farmers and ranchers were initially concerned about the idea of parasitic flies living in their state, they've been willing to let researchers use their property to establish colonies.
Nope, sorry! Fire ants cost the Texas economy about $1 billion annually by damaging circuit breakers and other electrical equipment, according to a Texas A&M study. They can also threaten the lives of young calves. To help control the population of fire ants, and the damage they cause, a tiny species of parasitic fly (the phorid fly) was introduced in Texas in 1999. These flies are native to a region of South America, where the fire ants in Texas originated.
There are now four species of phorid fly working on fire ant population control. They do this by dive-bombing into the fire ants and laying eggs. Once the egg hatches, the maggot migrates to the ant's head and starts eating its brain. The ant starts exhibiting zombie-like behavior, wandering away from the mound as though the fly is controlling the its mind. After a while, the ant's head falls off, it dies and, a new generation of phorid fly emerges to attack more fire ants and lay eggs.
Rob Plowes, a research associate at the University of Texas, said he "wouldn't use the word 'control' to describe what is happening. There is no brain left in the ant, and the ant just starts wandering aimlessly. This wandering stage goes on for about two weeks."
Phorid flies are USDA-approved and don't attack native ant species. They have been introduced in other Gulf Coast states, according to Plowes. Although farmers and ranchers were initially concerned about the idea of parasitic flies living in their state, they've been willing to let researchers use their property to establish colonies.