5 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

COSTA MESA – State agricultural inspectors are canvassing a residential neighborhood near the Santa Ana River this week after finding a colony of an aggressive ant species in someone’s front yard, the first documented sighting of the pest in its natural environment in California.

 

The colony of big-headed ants was discovered in Costa Mesa’s Mesa Verde neighborhood earlier this month by an amateur entomologist, who collected a sample and sent it to Los Angeles County officials for identification, said Mike Bennett, Orange County’s agricultural commissioner.

 

http://www.ocregiste...-mesa-ants.html

[Zeiss]

Yeah, my grandpa just picked me up from school today showing me the news article about that.  They identified them as pheidole megacephala. Do you think they would let someone go and grab the colony instead of killing it?  It would be a shame.

[dspdrew]

Haha, no idea. Gordon Snelling is actually the one who discovered them a while back. He said he found two more in the area, but I guess the "officials" haven't been able to locate those. Here's the original thread. (http://antfarm.yuku....ole-megacephala)

[dspdrew]

Here's an updated article after Gordon contacted the reporter.

 

http://www.ocregiste...headed-big.html

[gcsnelling]

The real tragedy would be if someone was able to save the colony. This species has tremendous potential to great ecologic damage.

[dspdrew]

Hah, I guess it wouldn't quite be the same as keeping an S. invicta colony or L. humile colony, since they haven't completely taken over yet, and hopefully don't.