On November 25th, at Hakata Port in Fukuoka City, approximately 300 ‘fire ants,’ known for their strong venom, were discovered. The prefecture has issued a warning not to touch ants resembling fire ants with bare hands. According to the prefecture and the Ministry of the Environment, a routine inspection conducted annually by the Ministry revealed one fire ant at Island City in Hakata Port on November 22nd. Further investigation led to the discovery of about 300 fire ants near a stacked container area on November 25th, which were then exterminated. The prefecture reports that fire ants were first identified in the prefecture in 2017, with seven cases confirmed in Fukuoka City and Kitakyushu City that year. This year, this is the second case following the discovery of ten ants in Kitakyushu City in July. Due to the potent venom of fire ants, the prefecture urges the public not to touch ants that resemble fire ants and to contact the relevant municipal or prefectural authorities. Source: Fukuoka City / NHK
Photo by oktavianus mulyadi on Unsplash
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