Scientists hope the Malaysian wasp will severely dent populations of crazy ants, which have been blamed for killing red crabs on Christmas Island

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A diminutive Malaysian wasp is set to be imported to Australia in order to wage war against a plague of destructive crazy ants on Christmas Island.

The tiny wasp, which is just 2mm long, doesn’t sting or build nests but, it is hoped, will severely dent crazy ant populations.

It will do this, scientists believe, by preying upon an insect that produces a sugary substance called honeydew that crazy ants consume.

“By reducing the ants’ food supply, we hope to interrupt their breeding, and potentially stop them from building their devastating super colonies,” said Dr Peter Green, a La Trobe University researcher who is leading the project.

Park Australia, a federal government agency that oversees Australia’s leading national parks, is backing a move to import the micro wasps to Christmas Island this year.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Crazy ants feasting on Christmas Island. Photograph: Parks Australia

Crazy ants were thought to have originally been brought to the island by south-east Asian traders in sea cargo. A horde of the pests is blamed for killing tens of millions of Christmas Island’s red crabs over the past 20 years. The loss of these crabs has had a negative knock-on impact upon the island’s entire ecosystem.

The importing of species to deal with another destructive species hasn’t always been stunningly successful in Australia. The cane toad was introduced to Queensland in the 1930s in an attempt to eradicate the cane beetle, which damage sugar cane crops. Instead, the toad spread across northern Australia and has been blamed for the decimation of native wildlife.

Australian cane toads meet their match Read more

However, Green said five years of research into the micro wasp show that it will be safe for people, pets and native wildlife.

“Other types of micro wasps are already used extensively for biological control on mainland Australia and overseas, so we know this can be safe and successful,” he said.

“We’ll be monitoring the roll-out carefully and we hope to see results within two to three years.”

Parks Australia, which is waiting for final approval for the plan, said the new approach will be a “lifesaver” for Christmas Island’s wildlife.

Christmas Island is home to a diverse range of species, including 20 types of crab, 28 species of butterfly, 28 species of bird and a handful of scorpions. The wasp will be deployed to aid these animals, pending final government approval.

“Red crabs are the keystone species for Christmas Island, so it’s crucial to protect them,” said Sally Barnes, director of National Parks.

“Until now, our only option has been intensive baiting with fipronil to kill the ants. That means dropping baits from choppers and sending rangers out to bait by hand – a very costly exercise that has to be repeated every few years.”