Updated at 6.46pm: The government would continue to eradicate red fire-ants in Hong Kong ? after more than 3,000 ant mounds were found in the past year ? Secretary for Environment, Transport and Works Sarah Liao Sau-tung said on Wednesday.
She told the Legislative Council that 3,054 fire-ant mounds were found between May last year and the end of last month.
These were in many districts ? including Lantau Island, Yuen Long, Tai Po, Kam Tin, Tin Shui Wai, Tseung Kwan O, Fan Ling, Sha Tin, Ta Kwu Ling, Sheung Shui and Sham Shui Po.
?In general, between several to a dozen or so ant mounds were found in each infested site,? explained Dr Liao. ?However, over 2,700 ant mounds were found on several pieces of government land with a total area of about 30 hectares in Tseung Kwan O in April [this year].?
In January 2005, fire-ant nests were first found in northern districts of Hong Kong. Later, several hundred mounds were also discovered in other parts of the territory. There were also reports of ant hills in Macau.
This caused some alarm as the ants are more aggressive than other species and have a painful sting. Once one ant attacks, others will follow suit, experts say.
But the environment secretary told Legco red fire ants had only been ?occasionally? found in Hong Kong since 2005.