Jun 18 (Japan Today) - More than 2,000 venomous fire ants have been discovered in a shipping container from China that arrived at a port in Osaka Prefecture earlier this month, leaving two people hurt, government officials said.
The discovery Friday of the invasive species native to South America is one of the largest in Japan, on a par with the estimated 2,000 fire ants discovered in Muko, Kyoto Prefecture in October last year, the Environment Ministry said.
The ants in Osaka and Kyoto have since been exterminated.
Fire ants have turned up in 12 prefectures including Tokyo since they were first discovered in May 2017 inside a container that was shipped from Guangzhou, China and unloaded in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, according to the ministry.
In the latest case announced by the ministry and Osaka city government, two workers were stung by the fire ants and complained of swelling and pain, although they did not require hospital treatment.
A queen ant was not found.
The authorities said the container left Shenzhen, China, on June 5, and arrived at the Osaka port on June 12 via Hong Kong. It was transported two days later to Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture by land.
Source: ANNnewsCH
