Yellow crazy ants have been wreaking havoc on the native Hawaiian wedge-tailed shearwater seabird population by spraying them and their baby chicks with acid, causing numerous injuries and deformities.
Wedge-tailed shearwater seabirds are under attack by yellow crazy ants in Hawaii.
The tiny insects spray formic acid which can cause bodily damage to nesting birds, especially to exposed areas like the bills, feet, and eyes.
Their aggressive actions are considered so brutal that some adult shearwaters, which can be very site-faithful, sometimes abandon their traditional nesting sites.
As the birds burrow their nests in the ground, their chicks are prime targets. Those that do end up being hatched amidst the ants often become deformed, with misshapen beaks, skin-covered eyes, and missing toes.
Yellow crazy ants are considered “tramp ants” which act cooperatively within their own community while acting aggressively towards other species to expand their territory.
Their actual orig
