By Angela Williams
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STARKVILLE, Mississippi (WAPT) — An invasive species of ants has been confirmed in more than a dozen states, including Mississippi.
Mississippi State University researchers are tracking the Asian needle ant, which has been spreading since the 2000s. JoVonn Hill, director of the Mississippi Entomological Museum and assistant professor in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, said researchers first documented the shiny black ants in Mississippi in 2013.
“They’re now abundant across the East Coast, with isolated populations into Louisiana and Arkansas,” Hill said in a news release.
The ants are about the size of a fire ant and can often be found in shaded areas under logs, mulch or leaves. They can sting, but they are not aggressive. The stings can cause allergic reactions in some people.
“If disturbed, they’ll likely run — but if trapped under clothing or threatened, they can sting,” said Joe MacGown, museum ant curator. “After being stung three times, I had a mild fever and had to sit down for a while. I never experienced that with other ants.”
MSU researchers have focused efforts on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Oxford, where there are “established populations” of Asian needle ants. They plan to expand into northern Mississippi, as well.
“The primary goal is to provide identification services, survey and monitor the spread of the species over time,” Hill said.
MacGown said the ants are here, and they’re spreading.
“But it’s not about being scared — it’s about being informed,” MacGown said.
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MSU: Asian needle ant invasion spreading in Mississippi News Channel 3-12.
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