Comments on: Finally, a Predator to Control the Notorious Cane Toad: Meat Ants? http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/ Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Leigh http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7026 Leigh Sat, 14 Jul 2012 16:29:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7026 In theory it could work, but wouldn't meat ant populations then take over? It's scientists who started the problem in the first place, same with killer bees. People need to stop messing with nature. There are several listed predators in central america that eat cane toads. Why not entertain a controlled or trained group of one of those predators to eat the cane toad. IF the scientists had collected the 102 original toads this issue would be non-existent, but once again scientists were too busy not thinking long term and just let the toads roam free. Man must think long term before trying any of these theories, esp in Australia where many rare and isolated species exist. Don't bring anything in, don't bring anything out. If the citizens banded together they could kill the toads in massive numbers, or add a natural chemical to standing water, during breeding season to make all their eggs infertile. OR as alligators, or toads the hotter the conditions the more production of females over males, making all the toads one sex, thus no mating can occur. Or poisoned foods source for the toad, ie bugs, or etc. All must be tested in order to find out if those solutions would cause more problems. Like with killer bees, this issue could have been avoided if man did not interfere with nature. Just to control a sugar cane crop, Australia now must battle a toad crop! Everyone must think, before ever messing with nature. In theory it could work, but wouldn’t meat ant populations then take over? It’s scientists who started the problem in the first place, same with killer bees. People need to stop messing with nature. There are several listed predators in central america that eat cane toads. Why not entertain a controlled or trained group of one of those predators to eat the cane toad.

IF the scientists had collected the 102 original toads this issue would be non-existent, but once again scientists were too busy not thinking long term and just let the toads roam free. Man must think long term before trying any of these theories, esp in Australia where many rare and isolated species exist. Don’t bring anything in, don’t bring anything out.

If the citizens banded together they could kill the toads in massive numbers, or add a natural chemical to standing water, during breeding season to make all their eggs infertile. OR as alligators, or toads the hotter the conditions the more production of females over males, making all the toads one sex, thus no mating can occur. Or poisoned foods source for the toad, ie bugs, or etc. All must be tested in order to find out if those solutions would cause more problems.

Like with killer bees, this issue could have been avoided if man did not interfere with nature. Just to control a sugar cane crop, Australia now must battle a toad crop! Everyone must think, before ever messing with nature.

]]> By: Koen http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7025 Koen Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:42:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7025 Hello ,Great article, very entertaining stuff. Thank you for posting...wanna go check out your other posts now....I think it's hard to make a blog stand out on the web, because it's so huge, but yours is really cool. Thanks. Hello ,Great article, very entertaining stuff. Thank you for posting…wanna go check out your other posts now….I think it’s hard to make a blog stand out on the web, because it’s so huge, but yours is really cool. Thanks.

]]> By: Luís Lopes-da-Fonseca http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7024 Luís Lopes-da-Fonseca Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:36:48 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7024 Their bellies are toxin free and the crows in East-Timor learned that and are eating adult Bufo. Their bellies are toxin free and the crows in East-Timor learned that and are eating adult Bufo.

]]> By: Stacy L Mason http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7023 Stacy L Mason Sun, 26 Apr 2009 04:13:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7023 I didn't say they had to eat the toads, just the toads livers. Which would kill the toads. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_toad I didn’t say they had to eat the toads, just the toads livers. Which would kill the toads.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_toad

]]> By: jed http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7022 jed Wed, 08 Apr 2009 06:10:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7022 I would like to know how crows eat cane toads please reply and I will thank you very much I would like to know how crows eat cane toads
please reply and I will thank you very much

]]> By: Stacy L Mason http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7021 Stacy L Mason Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:39:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7021 I've wondered whether it be possible to train Australian crows and ravens the trick of flipping the toads over and pecking out their livers like the crows from Germany and Denmark? Per the "exploding toad" phenomena a few years ago...unless their bellies are toxin laced as well. I’ve wondered whether it be possible to train Australian crows and ravens the trick of flipping the toads over and pecking out their livers like the crows from Germany and Denmark? Per the “exploding toad” phenomena a few years ago…unless their bellies are toxin laced as well.

]]> By: Sally http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7020 Sally Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:23:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7020 When a biocontrol agent is used, whether it's truly safe of course needs to be very carefully tested, otherwise, it's just a replay of history. They already have been too many failure examples, though this time the meat ant it a native species. When a biocontrol agent is used, whether it’s truly safe of course needs to be very carefully tested, otherwise, it’s just a replay of history. They already have been too many failure examples, though this time the meat ant it a native species.

]]> By: Sally http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7019 Sally Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:19:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7019 When a biocontrol agent is used, whether it's truly safe of course needs to be very carefully tested, otherwise, it's just an replay of history. When a biocontrol agent is used, whether it’s truly safe of course needs to be very carefully tested, otherwise, it’s just an replay of history.

]]> By: NoAstronomer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7018 NoAstronomer Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:16:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/03/30/finally-a-predator-to-control-the-notorious-cane-toad-meat-ants/#comment-7018 Not a bad idea. Also what might eat toad eggs? Or are they poisonous too? Not a bad idea. Also what might eat toad eggs? Or are they poisonous too?

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