Red fire ants warning: Deadly species set to spread 'alarmingly quickly' from EU to UK
The deadly fire ants originate from South America
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Britain could see an invasion of deadly red fire ants soon, as the species is set to spread “alarmingly quickly” from Europe.
The world’s most invasive species was spotted for the first time in Sicily, Italy, with 88 nests being discovered by entomologists.
Researchers believe that the deadly bug could soon spread all over the continent, including the UK.
London has been identified has a hotspot for the bugs, according to research publish in the journal Current Biology.
The ant is known to repeatedly bite and sting its victims
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The south coast of England, southern Wales and some of the Midlands could also be at risk from the Southern American red ant.
The ant, known scientifically as the Solenopis incita, has been spotted in other parts of the globe such as Australia, China, the Caribbean, Mexico and throughout the US.
However, this is the first time it has been found in Europe.
“There are a vast number of alien ant species currently establishing in Europe, and the absence of this species was kind of a relief,” said Dr Menchetti Menchitti form the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Spain.
“Finding this species in Italy was a big surprise, but we knew this day would come,” he said.
Scientists have predicted that about seven per cent of Europe is suitable for an invasion of the ants, due to current environmental conditions.
However, they warned this could increase as the climate crisis rages on.
Menchitti and other researchers visited Sicily after seeing photos of the ants.
Locals had also reported that they had been getting stung frequently since 2019.
Researchers went to Sicily to investigate and found 88 nests in a 4.7 hectare area next to a river.
A bite or a sting from a red fire ant can cause a burning sensation and in some cases chest pains, nausea, dizziness and anaphylactic shock.
The ants were first spotted in Sicily, Italy
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The pesky creatures are also known to attack their victims repeatedly.
Dr Menchetti said: “The locals have been experiencing these painful things since at least 2019, so the ants have probably been there for a while.”
He said that the “real extension” of the invasion is possibly much larger.
Scientific analysis suggests that the ants found in Italy likely came from China or the US, and most probably came through sea ports.
“This is especially concerning because many of the cities, including London, Amsterdam, and Rome, have large seaports, which could allow the ants to spread rapidly to more countries and continents,” said senior author Roger Vila, also from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Spain.
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