Large glandular ant threatens Hesse: ant plague on the rise!

Large glandular ant threatens Hesse: ant plague on the rise!

Recently, a small but even more threatening creature has been causing alarm in Germany: the invasive species of antsTapinoma magnum, also known as the large gland ant. As the Fulda newspaper reported, this ant species is spreading rapidly in various regions of Germany and not only poses a threat to biodiversity, but can also seriously damage technical infrastructure and buildings.

Kehl, a hotspot of this ant plague, is particularly affected, where power and internet outages are already caused by the ants. But specimens of this species have also been discovered in Darmstadt. The most important areas in which they stay include areas on sandhills, curbs and sidewalks. All of these points make it clear that the distribution of this species is primarily in southwest Germany, explains Jörg Burkard, the deputy chairman of the NABU district association in Fulda.

A national challenge

To counteract this threat, the environment ministers of Baden-Württemberg and other federal states are calling for a national list of invasive alien species. They want to act preventatively and prevent the introduction of this ant species through Mediterranean plants. The State Museums of Natural History Stuttgart and Karlsruhe are already working on developing a high-quality reference genome forTapinoma magnumto create. This helps to identify genetic markers that can determine the origin of the invasion and thus make the distribution of this ant species in Central Europe understandable. This also calls for citizens who can collect and report specimens in order to ensure a comprehensive overview of the spread of this species.

So far isTapinoma magnumnot listed on the existing EU list of invasive species, which contains strict regulations for some species. That hasn't made the situation any easier: Hesse suffers from a lack of enforcement in combating these invasive species, which is primarily due to a lack of resources and staff among the nature conservation authorities.

Increase in invasive species

In total, there are around 900 established neobiota species in Germany, which accounts for around 1% of the total 74,000 species, according to the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. These neobiota also include large groups such as plants, invertebrates and vertebrates. This includes around 470 plant neophytes and over 450 neozoa. Especially since the 19th century, we have observed a sharp increase in new establishments, which is closely linked to global trade and transport.

But the spread is not without challenges - cold winters have so far limited the occurrence of such species. However, climate change could soon change this and create opportunities for further spread. The challenge we are now faced with not only affects the bees and flowers, but also our infrastructure and ultimately our health.

It remains to be seen how various stakeholders, from conservation to science, will respond to this pressing threat. Further education and mobilization of the population is of great importance in order to prevent the spread of the diseaseTapinoma magnumeffectively contained.