Yellow crazy ants spread into Townsville and parts of north-east Australia, as councils plead for funding
When Samantha Cocuzza plays with her two kids in their Townsville backyard, most of the time she has to hold her youngest off the ground. ...
As soon as her kids put their feet back on the grass, they're covered in an acid-spitting invasive ant species called yellow crazy ants.
"It's now at the point where they play outside in the yard, head in for a bath, and sometimes there are ants in the bath that come off the kids," Ms Cocuzza said.
The ants are categorised as one of the worst invasive species in the world, capable of completely destroying ecosystems and making outdoor areas virtually unusable.
The ants don't bite, but instead throw acid, which can burn the eyes and skin of people, and can blind and kill insects and small animals. ...
They hold the world record for population density, with scientists recording 2000 of them per square metre. ...
The ants are not just a nuisance.
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, they are among the 100 worst invasive species in the world.
On Christmas Island, off the coast of Western Australia, the ants have completely transformed the forest and decimated its famous red crab population. ...
It's not known exactly where they came from, but it's thought either Africa or Asia.
They were first detected in Australia in 1980 at Arnhem Land, although they were likely here much earlier. ...
