Crazy yellow ants! They’re highly aggressive and they’re forming super-colonies in our backyards, killing off our native species, including the Christmas Island red crab.

They’re also a risk to our agriculture in Australia’s warmer regions. They farm sugar-secreting scale insects and encourage the growth of sooty moulds that can dramatically reduce the productivity of crops like fruit trees and sugar cane.

We find out what is Australia’s strategy on how to help cope with these invasive ants.

Image: Image: Shutterstock – demonhero69

Produced By: Frances Du

Featured In Story: Dr Cecilia Villacorta-Rath, James Cook University

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 22 November 2023