It’s a takeover by militants.
Red fire ants have finally made a pilgrimage to Europe and threaten to take over the continent, according to new research.
The tiny insect, considered one of the most invasive species in the world, has built at least 88 nests on 12 acres near the city of Syracuse on the island of Sicily.
This is the first time the insect, known by its scientific name Solenopsis invicta, has been sighted in Europe, researchers said in a study published Monday. Scientific journal “Current Biology”.
“S. invicta is one of the worst invasive species. It can spread surprisingly quickly,” lead author Mattia Menchetti of the Spanish Institute of Evolutionary Biology said in a statement.
“Finding this species in Italy was a big surprise, but we knew this day would come.”
Fire ants are native to South America but have spread around the world thanks to the shipping industry and the transport of plant products.
These tiny insects are known to inflict painful stings when threatened, and can sometimes cause anaphylactic shock.
Fire ants are not only a nuisance, but they are also known to have serious environmental, health, and economic impacts on the areas where they live. They can destroy crops and invade electrical equipment such as cars and computers.
In Europe, they were somehow able to keep the pests at bay at least until 2019, when local residents were first stung by fire ants.
“Europe is now home to a huge number of non-native ants, so the absence of this species is a bit of a relief,” Menchetti said.
“For decades, scientists have feared it would arrive. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw it.”
After analyzing wind patterns and also conducting DNA tests on the Sicilian queen, researchers determined that the pests likely came from the United States or China.
There are fewer than 100 known fire ant colonies in Italy, but with a large nearby port and the threat of climate change, scientists say the fire ant population could spread rapidly across the continent. are warning.
To combat the infestation, researchers suggest that both government officials and the public should destroy any nests they find and move the site to prevent it from happening again.
“We need to be more aware of this problem because it is already widespread in Europe,” Menchetti said. “We need concerted action and we need it now.”
Invasive species such as the fire ant and the hated black-spotted fly cost this task at least $423 billion each year, according to a United Nations-backed report released last week.
More than 37,000 invasive species have been introduced by human activities, wreaking havoc on foreign lands and threatening animal extinction, food insecurity, and environmental disaster.
