●Nathan Shiga: September 3. 2017

Today’s episode has to do Red Imported Fire Ant you hear so much about. A large family of the eerie ants native to South America was found in a container at the Nagoya Port, August 30 – as many as 1000 but luckily all dead when found.

Solenopsis invicta is the proper name of this vicious ant, Hiari or Solenopsis invicta, native to South America and found in ports and harbors often in containers arriving from Chinese ports.

A staff first found 30 of them in a container at Funami Quay August 30 and killed them all. Then, the administration office did another round of check-up, when they found 1000 or so of them, including a queen, already dead in the same container.

The Ministry of Environment says this is the first time these troublesome ants were found this many. The container from Tinajin landed at Nagoya and moved by land to Funami Quay on August 30. The ants had stayed within the container, no trace of eggs found in the vicinity.

The authorities are shortly conducting extra check-ups while warning the local inhabitants not to go near the ants that look like the vicious red ants.

The red fire ant native to South America is reported to have been accidentally introduced in other Asian countries and also in the United States. When stung, you are likely to experience intense burning and swelling. Up to 6% of the victims can suffer from anaphylaxis which can be fatal if left untreated.

Lucky they were all dead when founded. Beware of red ants, folks.

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