Aotearoa / New Zealand

1656 readers

8 users here now

Kia ora and welcome to !newzealand, a place to share and discuss anything about Aotearoa in general

For politics , please use [email protected]
Shitposts, circlejerks, memes, and non-NZ topics belong in [email protected]
If you need help using Lemmy.nz, go to [email protected]
NZ regional and special interest communities

Rules:

Don't be a dick

FAQ ~ NZ Community List ~ Join Matrix chatroom

Banner image by Bernard Spragg

Got an idea for next month's banner?

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

Argentine ant sniffer dog averts potential disaster on Matiu / Somes Island (www.rnz.co.nz)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

15 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I didn't actually know they were building a new wharf on Somes, it's great that the island is getting more infrastructure. And great they caught the ants, obviously.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Are the ants from somewhere else in New Zealand or imported?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I'm not sure specifically about these ones but looks like they are pretty widespread in NZ (though not found everywhere):

We know of Argentine ants in many parts of Auckland, Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch.

https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/animal-pests/argentine-ants/

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

About 20 years ago there was an infestation of them in the Bay of Plenty, Tauranga city council was coming around deploying ant bait around people's houses for free.

Pale green stuff dispensed from a caulking gun, seemed to do a good job.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Based on my link above, I can imagine the council wanting a coordinated approach. It mentions all the colonies work together, and if you put down bait but fail to kill them all, it separates the colonies and then it's a lot harder to get them all.