‘Crazy’ ants that kill birds eradicated from Pacific atoll
Caleb Jones
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Honolulu — An invasive species known as the yellow crazy ant has been eradicated from a remote U.S. atoll in the Pacific.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday that the ants have been successfully removed from Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.
The ants stalk seabirds on the uninhabited atoll and prevented nesting on about 70 acres of land.
“This is the first time an invasive ant species has been eradicated on such a large land area in the U.S,” said Kate Toniolo, superintendent for the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, in a statement. “To ensure the eradication was successful, the teams have been monitoring, searching, and surveying for yellow crazy ants.”