Rise of the exotic
It was already known that the ant moves. Although earlier this week it was about the increase in exotic variants in the Netherlands. According to ant expert André van der Loon, “a considerable problem that you should not underestimate”. These exotic ant species can form supercolonies, containing thousands of queens and sometimes millions of workers. In Germany, such a colony with a width of seventy meters was spotted.
The exotic animals are also advancing in the Netherlands. “There are now four species at the most. They enter the Netherlands, for example, when importing plants. There can be nests in those pots. They often don’t survive here because the climate is too cold. But some do, and if you put them in If you hit your garden or house, that’s not fun.” Some bite or sting. Others are drawn to electric fields, gnaw at sockets or electricity cables and sometimes even cause a short circuit.
Especially recognizing the exotics is a complicated process. Van der Loon: “That is difficult and more specialized work. Certainly for a layman, the different species look very similar. I think that the fighters often do not know whether they are dealing with an alien species. With a bit of luck, they send a monster to the Knowledge and Advice Center for Animal Plagues (KAD), who know the ins and outs.”