Up until their arrival into Australia in the 1930’s (to combat sugar sugar cane beetles in the now infamous pest control balls up!), Venezuelan Cane toads have wreaked havoc on the Australian Ecosystem, dilapidating the balance of Northern Australia in particular by eating everything in its path and poisoning predators galore.

The end is nigh

A group of researchers from the University of Sydney have discovered a type of ant they believe is not affected by the Cane toad’s kryptonite, step forward the mighty, yet small Australian Meat ants (Iridomyrmex purpureus).

Originally used by farmers to clean carcasses, Meat ants took part in a recent ground breaking boxing match, the judges’ score cards all favouring towards the omnivorous scavengers;  the prize a tin of cat food, a delicacy for both sides.

As it happens the Meat ants have already killed millions of Cane toads, but this novel experiment is sure to speed up the process.

Cat food was left in areas known to be frequented by toadlets as they emerge from the ponds, and it wasn’t long before the word of this delicacy extended to the ants, who stumbled across the toadlets (some much bigger than them) on their quest for a meaty fix and devoured them with committed teamwork.

Rick Shine, the lead researcher at the University of Sydney said,

“98% of the baby toads were attacked within two minutes, and about 70% of these toads were killed. Even the ones that don’t die immediately die within a day or so of being attacked.”

Some skeptics however have expressed their worries for the more native frogs however Shine has addressed this by saying,

“Native frogs have evolved with meat ants and know how to avoid them. For example, they hop away much faster and further upon contact with the ants, whereas the Cane toads, relying on its poison, remain still, hoping for the ants to die”.

These skeptics should also consider the human alternative of killing cane toads with poisonous gas, and all of a sudden a little cat food doesn’t seem too bad.

So Venezuelan Cane toads, the ball is in your court, either adjust your evolution settings or consider you days numbered! Next on the list surely should be cockroaches, maybe we should get a quote from the Meat Ant-busters.