The world’s deadliest ant enters Europe

The European scientific community is already on alert due to the entry of an invasive species of ant In the continent. This is the so-called fire ant, a type of especially harmful insect that has been located in the Sicily Island, south of Italy. According to experts, this is one of the most dangerous ants in the world and poses a great threat to the biodiversity of the environment in which it is found.

The main difference between this type of ant and a conventional one is the aggressiveness installed in its nature, which can reach mass attack on a human or animal that, for example, step on one of their nests. This makes pecking and biting – much less common in other ants – frequent in groups of fire ants.

What damage can fire ants cause?

Massive attacks by this species can cause great pain in humans, although generally they should not reach a serious condition, unless the individual has an allergic reaction. In this case, there could be a more serious risk that would affect health, since there is the possibility of suffering a anaphylactic reaction. Normally, the symptoms that people affected by this type of response present are usually the following:

• Intense itching
• Outbreak of hives or hives
• Respiratory complications
• Swelling in the throat or tongue

The most extreme situation derived from an anaphylactic reaction is one in which it attacks to the digestive system. This ailment could manifest itself through acute stomach cramps, nausea or diarrhea. Also in very critical circumstances, those affected could suffer a considerable drop in blood pressure, which could lead to a loss of consciousness. In these cases, urgent medical attention will be required, but it should be noted that they are not very frequent and that in general there are no serious symptoms in humans.

However, smaller animals can suffer greater danger if they are attacked by a group of this type of ants, and may even come to die. Also with plants, these collective attacks can be lethal, since it is common for this insect to attack the flora in its environment if it becomes entangled near its nests. Additionally, fire ants tend to build very high mounds that damage roots and they end up suffocating those plantations where they are established.

The habitat of the fire ant

This type of insect comes from South America, but its presence has spread throughout the world through accidental imports, and now it can be found in regions such as the USA, Australia, China, the Philippines or Taiwan. Due to this, this species of ant has a high capacity to adapt to extreme climates of all types, in addition to being able to withstand environments with very low temperatures or frequent flooding. However, by nature this species prefers to settle in warm areas. Last year, up to 88 fire ant nests spread over about 5 hectares near the city of Syracuse (Italy).

Another mosquito alert

And this insect is not the only one that has set off European alarms. Just a few days after inaugurating this month of May, a health alert was due due to a mosquito bite. In recent years, one of the biggest concerns in Spain at a health level has been the spread of West Nile Virus (WNV)which, in the worst cases, can cause death of those who become infected. In this case the alerts were set especially in Andalusiain provinces like Seville and Cadizalthough also in other areas of Spanish geography such as Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Valencia and Catalonia, due to the heat of those areas.

After receiving the bite of this mosquito, the incubation period lasts between 2 and 14 days until the associated symptoms appear. In the mildest cases, these correspond to fever, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint painbut, in more serious cases, it can produce seizures, stiff neck, confusion, and muscle weaknesseven reaching irreversible brain damage or death.

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