I am shocked and horrified at the destruction these animals cause - they remind me of humans, intent on destroying one food source at a time, rather than nurturing for the future. I'm also curious - what is it about Bursaria spinosa that is so attractive to feral pigs?
Feral Pigs will go to extremes to get the larvae that inhabit Bursaria roots. The digging is different to normal rooting for tubers and can go 60cm deep.
Oh wow - the larvae! I thought it might have been just nutrition in the roots. Are these the larvae from butterflies such as the Fiery Copper and Bright Copper? If so, that's just another threat this feral species poses to our native fauna. I wish they'd go for the exotic trees instead.
I wonder how we could find out? Autopsy some pigs before they have a chance to digest the larvae? Grow the larvae - but the butterfly larvae are in a symbiotic relationship with ants and the bursaria, I understand . . . hmmm, a Phd project, perhaps?
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