The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) is one of the worst invasive alien species and the fifth costliest worldwide, impacting ecosystems, agriculture and human health. Researchers from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology at the CSIC-Pompeu Fabra University have now documented 88 nests of red imported fire ants — for the first time in Europe — near the city of Syracuse in Sicily, Italy. The ants could soon spread all over the continent, the researchers warn, which could cause major environmental, health, and economic problems in Italy and beyond.
“Solenopsis invicta is one of the worst invasive species. It can spread alarmingly quickly,” said Dr. Mattia Menchetti, lead author of the study.
“Finding this species in Italy was a big surprise, but we knew this day would come.”
Solenopsis invicta’s common name comes from its most infamous characteristic — its stings — which are painful and, occasionally, may cause anaphylactic shock.
Although it originated in South America, Solenopsis invicta has spread quickly, flying into wind streams to travel farther on the local level.
But humans have also helped it spread both through the maritime trade industry and by shipping plant products, enabling it to establish in Australia, China, the Caribbean, Mexico, and throughout the United States in less than a century. Europe has evaded them for longer than expected.
“There are a vast number of alien ant species currently establishing in Europe, and the absence of this species was kind of a relief,” Dr. Menchetti said.
“For decades, scientists have feared that it would arrive. We could not believe our eyes when we saw it.”
After seeing photos taken in Sicily of what looked like Solenopsis invicta, Dr. Menchetti and colleagues took a trip to the region to confirm the ants’ identity and collect samples.
They found a total of 88 nests in a 4.7-hectare area next to a river, some of which housed many thousands of worker ants, near the city of…
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