Talk:Paratrechina species near pubens

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[edit] Copyright issues

This article is pretty darn close the article I came across on Netscape News [[1]]. It must be an AP article that's made the news all over everywhere...I won't mention the P word, but we need to do something about this!

Hires an editor (talk) 13:49, 16 May 2008 (UTC)

The article has no verbatim-copyright issues with respect to the particular channels.isp.netscape.com link you provided. As far as ideas being copied, that may be plagiarism in the academic sense, and it might qualify if this were a fictional work, but facts in news stories are not a WP:COPYVIO. If it were, Wikipedia would be relegated to using only public-domain or freely-licensed sources, which would make it basically useless. davidwr/(talk)/(contribs)/(e-mail) 16:14, 16 May 2008 (UTC)
Our article spells the genus name correctly. Otherwise it is paraphased, true. Phlegm Rooster (talk) 19:49, 16 May 2008 (UTC)
Ah, so that is the P word is. my bad. davidwr/(talk)/(contribs)/(e-mail) 20:31, 16 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Isn't this the same as Solenopsis invicta?

I strongly suspect it is the case and that the odd latin name (no species has such name, it's always Genus species) is some silly joke that mislead the journalist or some other silly error. Solenopsis invicta, aka red imported fire ant is also well known for meddling with electronic equipment (they like warmth and resist microwaves perfectly), having several queens and are frequent in Texas (and all the southern USA) but were introduced in 1930 and are not described as particularly small.

If it's another new invasory species, then it should have a more scientific name. --Sugaar (talk) 14:37, 17 May 2008 (UTC)

Forget it. I already found in the external links that it is a different genus and that the name is because it is not well defined as species. Maybe Crazy Rasberry ants would be a better title anyhow. And the first external link provides a lot more info on this plague. --Sugaar (talk) 14:47, 17 May 2008 (UTC)

what does it mean/translate - 'near pubens'?? --85.141.91.178 (talk) 03:10, 22 May 2008 (UTC)
I think the "species near" isn't Latin but rather Plain English. It means "This is in the genus Paratrechina. We aren't sure what species or subspecies it is, but if this is a different species or subspecies, it's genetically very close to pubens or a subspecies of it." davidwr/(talk)/(contribs)/(e-mail) 04:12, 22 May 2008 (UTC)
thx! Surely, you are right. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.141.91.178 (talk) 07:15, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Latin name

UNL reffers to this species as "Paratrechina longicornis": http://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/ants/Crazyants.shtml

/rmariboe 213.185.8.131 (talk) 17:58, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

That's a different species, probably one that deserves its own article. See Paratrechina. davidwr/(talk)/(contribs)/(e-mail) 19:06, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] electrical current and other things

0. excuse my English.

1. I've read an article which states that the ants were confined to 5 counties around Houston ('five Houstons districts', to be precise. I believe it to be incorrect:))... but now are transported into other parts of Texas, probably by the ships passing by the port of Houston. The ref. here ref.7 insists that they are moving towards Houston: And now they're moving into Houston, the fourth-largest city in the country. "Fifty miles might not seem like a lot until you realise they're moving into Houston," said Gold. "It could really affect a lot of people's lives." Which is correct? Well, are they confined to the 5 aforementioned counties? Whether the article i read is incorrect or wiki is behind the news?

2."The ants, attracted by electrical current" (wiki)

"Computers, burglar alarm systems, gas and electricity meters, iPods, telephone exchanges – all are considered food by the flea-sized ants, for reasons that have left scientists baffled." ref.1. ???????????????? The question is obvious, that's why i came here. Are they really have a weakness for electrical current? Do there exist scientists who consider it to be true and are baffled?

3. "The rate of coverage of the ant itself is about 800 meters (equivalent of half a US mile) per year. However, being carried by people, animals or vehicles, the ants coverage over five counties in Texas from 2002 to 2007 gives a rate of 8 kilometers per (equivalent of 5 US miles) year. At this rate, it would still take 70 years for them to reach New Orleans (563 kilometers, equivalent of 350 US miles)."

The rate of coverage of the ant itself requires a pretty complicated procedure to calculate for a species which may be carried by. I wish to know the source:) And alas... being carried by ppl-animals-or_vehicles_... they... they can be here in Moscow, Russia tomorrow:( --85.141.91.178 (talk) 06:02, 22 May 2008 (UTC)