Dec 16 (Nikkei) - Venomous fire ants that hitched rides to Japan aboard container ships are surviving the winters and multiplying to such an extent that nursery school staff are being trained to spot the potentially deadly invaders.
In October, more than 50 queen ants were detected at a container terminal at the Port of Tokyo. The discovery of so many queens suggests anthills built in places away from the terminal.
The ants are one of many invasive species to arrive in Japan and cause environmental and economic damage. In the U.S. where fire ants have settled, treatment and countermeasures reportedly cost more than $5.47 billion a year. Invasive species are set to become a growing problem for many countries as the global economy become more connected.
The discovery in Tokyo prompted the central and Tokyo metropolitan governments to step up their inspections and extermination runs in the surrounding area.
"We're at the stage where we need to act as if there's a real risk of them spreading," said a local government worker.
At the end of last month, though, more than 500 fire ants were discovered at the port.
Fire ants, indigenous to South America, were first found in Japan in June 2017, and they have since spread to 15 prefectures.
In August 2017 more than 600 fire ants were discovered at the Port of Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture. Port officials eradicated the pests, but in August 2018 another 10 fire ants were discovered at the port.
Fire ants are not the only pest authorities are fighting. The Shimizu port authority is also at war with red ants, another invasive species. In September, it found more than 1,000 of the insects.
