Talk:Dermolepida albohirtum

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Untitled

What I'd like to know: cane toad was introduced to reduce the number of cane beetles and subsequently became a big pest. But did it help? Has the number of cane beetles decreased as dramatically as was expected? Steinbach (fka Caesarion) 18:29, 27 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

It failed miserably; I'll add this to my "to-do" list for some updates as I work in an Australian Sugar Cane museum.

Quoting the proceedings from Queensland Society of sugar Cane Technologies Seventh Annual Conference held in Mackay QLD, from the 2nd to the 7th April 1936 in particular R.W Mungomery's "A Survey on the Feeding Habits of the Giant Toad (Bufo Marinus L.) and Notes on it's Progress since it's Introduction to Queensland.

1935 saw the introduction of a colony of "Giant American Toads" (Bufo marinns L.) (sic) imported from Hawaii into Queensland. Based on field study of the toads (at the time, this is 1936 mind you) in Puerto Rico it was deduced that the toad was responsible for almost complete decimation of cane beetle and white grub populations affecting the area at the time. this proved promising as native and chemical pest measures to control the beetle (in Australia) had failed.

Unfortunately they are tough bastards to kill, breed like it's no ones business, both their taddies (tadpoles/polis) and full grown specimens are poisonous to most critters(Bufotoxin) and they eat EVERYTHING! The abundance of other more tasty food sources saw them only prey on the beetles when they felt like it... which wasnt very often.

By 1984, Quoting from the Mulgrave Shire Historical Society Bulletin No. 64 ISSN 0155-4808 article "Notes on the Giant Toad" by J.H Buzacott M.B.E. the toads were not living up to their purported success in other countries. The pre-harvest burn-off that was introduced in North Queensland to prevent Weils Diseases ended up (by accident) bringing populations (of the cane beetle) under control.

They tried using Benzene Hexachloride post 1947 for many years in an attempt to bring populations (of toads) under control but by far their biggest use (at the time of this publication) was seen as research and dissection animals for Schools and universities.

I'll let you know what the current situation is on the Bufo Marinus problem in QLD as i get more up to date information ;) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.39.51.116 (talk) 00:04, 23 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]