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Julian Ryall

The discovery of extensive colonies of red fire ants in Tokyo’s port district has renewed concerns that the insects are gaining a foothold in Japan, with experts putting the potential cost of dealing with the pests on a par with the US$6.42 billion spent on eradication efforts annually in the United States.
Indigenous to South America, fire ants were first found at ports in Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe two years ago.
It was believed that the insects entered Japan in containers imported from mainland China, Hong Kong and ports in Southeast Asia.
A queen fire ant can produce as many as 1,600 eggs in a single day. The insects, which can grow up to 6mm long, are known to be aggressive.

Their bite can induce anaphylactic shock, and in extreme cases among the very young and elderly even death.
Despite efforts to ensure more do not enter Japan, officials at the environment ministry and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government have confirmed that colonies with more than 50 queens were found at the Port of Tokyo – and there has been speculation in the media that the ants may have already spread to other parts of the country.
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“Once they are here, it is extremely hard to stop them spreading,” said Kevin Short, a naturalist and professor of cultural anthropology at Tokyo University of Information Sciences.
“Pretty much the only thing that can be done now are measures to educate the public to report any sightings, and then to move very quickly to eradicate colonies before they can spread further,” Short said.
But, he warned, even that may not be sufficient to halt their march.

“It’s the same with all artificially introduced species,” Short said. “In their natural land, they are part of an ecosystem and the food chain, so there are natural checks on their population and growth. There are other species that either eat them or compete with them.
“Once they are transported to another land, however, they are outside that ecosystem and it is possible that there are no such natural checks.”
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The US discovered the damage that fire ants can cause after the insects entered the country in the 1930s. They invade houses and other buildings and leave structural damage.
The ants have even been blamed for fires started through electrical shortages. They damage infrastructure such as telecommunications plants, and their underground nests ruin crops.
Eradication efforts are costly, said Short, and Japan may face a bill comparable to the amount the US pays to deal with the pests. Similarly, Australia spends more than US$275 million a year to stop the insects spreading.
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One of the most effective campaigns against the species has been in New Zealand, where colonies were first discovered in 2006.
Authorities moved quickly to restrict the transport of soil and plants to within a 2km radius of the infestations, and introduced other restrictions.
The Asahi newspaper this week called on the Japanese government to take “similarly strong action”.


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A queen red fire ant. Photo: Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department

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The worker from Lands Department used cypermethrin EC insecticide to kill fire ants in two government lands outside the Hong Kong Wetland Park. 08 May 2007

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The phorid fly injects its egg into the shoulder of the red fire ant. As the larva grows, it takes over the insect's instincts before decapitating it and being "born" through its mouth.

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An elderly man is rescued from the scene of the fire in Kwai Chung on Thursday. Photo: SCMP Pictures

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Residents moved to safety even before firemen arrived at the scene. Photo: SCMP Pictures

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 Tony Lee on fire-ant-infested government land next to his home on a Tseung Kwan O estate. The red flags indicate where poison has been placed to eradicate the ants.

Benoit Guénard, at the University of Hong Kong.

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Asia

East Asia


Experts warn there is little the country can do to stop their march once the pests have penetrated Japan’s borders
The aggressive insects have a bite that can induce a life-threatening allergic reaction, and leave costly structural damage across homes and infrastructure



The country fears an invasion of South American red fire ants after colonies were found at Tokyo’s port.


Animals