Subscribe
Marco Jones, Natural Resource Technician (fire ants). Identifies and eradicates fire ants to protect the caves. He uses a combination of hot water and dish soap to kill the nest. May 16, 2022, at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis, Texas.
Caves function as recharge to the aquifer and are the home to a number of endangered troglobitic species (cave crickets and spiders that live their entire lives in the caves).
Red-imported fire ants enter the caves and predate on these endangered species. By eliminating their presence around the mouths of the caves, we are protecting the endangered species within.
The only nutrition coming into the cave is brought in by the cave crickets. These crickets act as a way to monitor the health of the cave without actually entering it and disturbing the ecosystem. Since they bring the food in, they are essential to the survival of the creatures deep in the cave that never leave.
Red-imported fire ants may be in direct competition with the crickets, limiting their survival and again, effecting the population of endangered species depending on the crickets. (U.S. Air Force photo by Cesar Rodriguez)
| Date Taken: | 05.16.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 06.15.2022 15:32 |
| Photo ID: | 7274337 |
| VIRIN: | 220516-F-IT981-024 |
| Resolution: | 7408x4938 |
| Size: | 6.41 MB |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 63 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Endangered and Endemic Species at Camp Bullis [Image 26 of 26], by Cesar Rodriguez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
