Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Technology => Topic started by: Stefanb on 14/08/2009 03:23:31

Title: Do we have the technology necessary to wipe out ants?
Post by: Stefanb on 14/08/2009 03:23:31

After reading multiple articles and watching some BBC videos on YouTube, I began to wonder if we could wipe out ants if we had to...

And would we be able to do so without majorly affecting the environment?

Title: Do we have the technology necessary to wipe out ants?
Post by: Don_1 on 14/08/2009 07:31:28

Ants are a very prolific species. At a guess I would say they probably outnumber man to the tune of 1m to 1. They are extremely successful and, as anyone with ant problems will tell you, a bugger to get rid of.

No, you would never be able to wipe out even a single species of ant, and yes, the loss of ants would have an enormous effect on the environment.

They are good cleaners, help to keep down the termite population (and other insects), protect plants and even trees.

Title: Do we have the technology necessary to wipe out ants?
Post by: lyner on 14/08/2009 11:10:08

You wipe out ants at your peril!

Title: Do we have the technology necessary to wipe out ants?
Post by: LeeE on 14/08/2009 18:16:35

Quote from: sophiecentaur on 14/08/2009 11:10:08

You wipe out ants at your peril!

Indeed - we'd be in an awful lot of trouble without them.

Title: Do we have the technology necessary to wipe out ants?
Post by: lyner on 14/08/2009 18:21:28

Who'd pick up all the spilled grains of sugar, for instance?

Title: Do we have the technology necessary to wipe out ants?
Post by: LeeE on 14/08/2009 18:56:41

Quite - we would all soon be up to our armpits in spilled sugar and everyone would die.

Title: Do we have the technology necessary to wipe out ants?
Post by: glovesforfoxes on 14/08/2009 23:38:18

i'm curious, Stefanb. which videos did you watch on youtube? could you post links to them here?

Quote

Quite - we would all soon be up to our armpits in spilled sugar and everyone would die.

fantastic [:D]

Title: Do we have the technology necessary to wipe out ants?
Post by: Stefanb on 15/08/2009 00:20:16

sure :) just let me dig through my history...

first

second

third
and

last...

I have nightmares about ants invading my home! :D

Title: Do we have the technology necessary to wipe out ants?
Post by: Stefanb on 15/08/2009 00:23:53

But I never thought about the sugar...
Maybe I could feed it all to my yeast!  [;D]