Melbourne is under threat from an invader straight out of a horror film: a giant column of ants 96km across.
The supercolony of Argentine ants — a species that arrived in the country from South America in the 1930s — has swamped the city.
The insects do not harm humans but they disrupt the ecosystem and have been known to overwhelm and kill hatchlings in chicken farms.
Researchers at Monash University say the supercolony has developed because a genetic mutation has stopped the ants from fighting among themselves, which normally keeps their number in check. – Guardian Unlimited Â