Red fire ants bite people for 16 years, SOP does not kill more and more, experts: special prevention and control methods should be compiled

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Taiwan's red fire ants have been raging for many years, but they are still unable to eradicate them, and they often bite the people. In particular, Xinbei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu in northern Taiwan, and Jinmen on the outer island are the hardest hit areas. In April this year, thousands of hectares of ants were reported in Miaoli, and the ant disaster could not be stopped in the north. It is also necessary to prevent the spread of red fire ants to the south. Domestic control of red fire ants has entered its 16th year, and the prevention and control work is still difficult.

Experts pointed out that the lack of special laws and sufficient resources made it difficult to put prevention and control in place. There is a serious shortage of funds for the prevention and control of red fire ants in various counties and cities, and even the central prevention and inspection bureau is quite tight, resulting in insufficient pesticide application or bait every year. In addition, cross-ministry coordination is not smooth, grass-roots personnel are frequently replaced, and public literacy is insufficient. All make it difficult to put the prevention and control work in place.

Red fire ants invade as containers enter and leave ports around the world

Red fire ants originated in South America and invaded Alabama in the 1930s. With the construction of highways, they continued to spread at a speed of 198 kilometers every year. Under global trade, containers spread all over the world. In 1990, they crossed the Pacific Ocean to Australia, and in 1992, they began to ravage all over Taiwan.

"containers are the key to the international spread of red fire ants." Lin Zongqi, chief executive of the National Red Fire Ant Control Center and a professor of biology at Changhua normal University, said most people believe that soil clods or plants are contaminated by ant colonies and are put into containers without inspection, resulting in cross-border transmission of red fire ants. Lin Zongqi said that in fact, the space under the container is the main reason. Because the concealment is not easy to find, red fire ants who like dry environments build their nests here. Taiwan joined the WTO in 2002 and began frequent international trade. A large number of containers began to enter and leave the port, and red fire ants invaded.

With the development of science and technology, the voyage of sea freight was shortened, coupled with the height of the bottom of the container, and there was no procedure for cleaning the outside of the container at that time, so the ant nest safely sailed across the sea and began to land from the port in southern Taiwan. the hazards to the environment include agricultural land, schools, parks, military barracks, airports, roadside green spaces, and so on.

Lin Zongqi (Photo / Lin Yijun), CEO of the National Red Fire Ant Control Center and professor of the Department of Biology of Changhua normal University, has invaded Taiwan for 16 years, which is still harmful to Taiwan.

Red fire ants were first found in Taoyuan and Chiayi from September to October, 1992, and nests in farmland, gardens, parks, school playgrounds, wastelands and so on. Red fire ants are omnivorous and will prey on earthworms in the soil and software worms in the field. they will also gnaw on the seeds, tender stems and leaf buds of crops, and even bite people near the ant mound. Farmers who often work in the fields suffer from it. Once bitten, there will be a burning pain, and then blisters will appear, and people with sensitive physique may become inflamed or even sent to hospital.

At present, red fire ants are not yet extinct in Taiwan. according to the data of the National Red Fire Ant Control Center, they are currently distributed in 4 counties and cities in a total of 23 regions, of which Taoyuan City is the most harmful county and city, and only the Fuxing area of the city has not fallen. There are traces of red fire ants in other areas.