Little ant has big impact

At the next entry in the Wild Neighbors Speaker Series, brought to you by Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, you’ll learn everything there is to know about the tawny crazy ant – along with some things you’ll wish you didn’t know. This highly invasive species, which was introduced from South America, is on the march throughout the Gulf Coast region, including Travis County, according to Dr. Ed LeBrun, a research scientist with the Department of Integrative Biology’s Brackenridge Field Laboratory at UT Austin. LeBrun will discuss the ant’s “impacts upon the natural systems it invades, its interaction with the current regionally dominant invasive ant, imported fire ants, and ongoing work towards sustainable control.” Friday, July 30, noon to 1 p.m. Register here for the webinar. Oh, and if you’re wondering why this little ant is called crazy, read this.