By TAKAYUKI KOZAKI/ Staff Writer
August 27, 2023 at 07:00 JST
OKAYAMA--A popular shrimp-flavored snack is being used to lure venomous little fire ants to sticky traps following the discovery of the invasive species at a port here for the first time in Japan.
Around 30 of the critters were found at the international container terminal of Mizushima Port in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, on July 3.
Little fire ants, which measure only 1 to 2 millimeters, are designated as an invasive alien species by the Environment Ministry.
The insect, Wasmannia auropunctata, is native to Central and South America. It is also known as the electric ant because its sting can cause acute pain and blistering.
The ants reproduce quickly and could seriously impact the ecosystem and farm crops if they gain a foothold.
Okayama prefectural officials, eager to catch any little fire ants that might be still around, debated what kind of lure would work best.
Officials at the Environment Ministry suggested they try Calbee Inc.’s Kappa Ebisen snack.
“Ant larvae need fat, protein and sugar to grow,” noted Takahiro Murakami, an associate professor of behavioral ecology at Kyushu University. “Kappa Ebisen contains all of them as ingredients.”
It may be common knowledge among experts that the snack is a favorite of ants, but that came as a surprise to its manufacturer.
“We had no idea (the snack could be used for that sort of thing),” said a company representative.
No little fire ants have been found at Mizushima Port since Okayama prefectural officials placed Kappa Ebisen with sticky traps at the international container terminal.
The omnivorous ants would pose a threat if they spread in Okayama Prefecture, which is famous for fruits like peaches and grapes.
Little fire ants were previously found with a cargo of imported plants at Narita Airport in 2014, but quarantine officials eradicated them on the spot.
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Calbee Inc.’s Kappa Ebisen snack (Takayuki Kozaki)
