John Lazarus’ The Grandkid comes to Gateway Theatre next week 11
the richmond
Local author nominated for B.C. Book Prize 12
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FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014
32 PAGES
Martin van den Hemel photos This snake attracted several European fire ants, which at a couple of millimetres long are hard to detect, but which dog walkers familiar with the area are all too familiar with, and wary of.
European fire ants invading Richmond Non-native species equipped with painful stinger, and proving difficult to control by Martin van den Hemel Staff Reporter The European fire ant is invading Richmond, and the biologist who identified the species when it was first collected from a North Vancouver home in 2010, said holding them off has proven difficult thus far. But Thompson Rivers University
professor Rob Higgins said he’s working on a technique that holds some promise. At just a couple of millimetres long, the European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) is a little challenging to spot, but once you’ve been stung, the distinctive, burning sensation isn’t likely something you’ll soon forget. Dog walkers at McDonald Beach, at the north tip of Sea Island, are certainly familiar with them. One woman, walking a large group of leashed dogs, exclaimed Wednesday afternoon that a grass-covered clearing at the eastern edge of the park is “crawling with them.” Another dog owner said she knew
her dog was stung when it suddenly began to chew at its foot. Higgins said this species of ant can be found all over Europe, but was only recently introduced to B.C., where other species of ants and insects aren’t equipped to deal with them. As a result, fire ant colonies tend to monopolize an area, and kill off other species of ants and invertebrates. A study Higgins did last summer with Langara College found that in places with the fire ants, “virtually all other species of ants” were displaced. Other insects, including beetles and spiders, are impacted too, he said. The fire ants have proven a challenge to control to this point.
They’re resistant to biological controls—such as decapitating flies and fungi—as well as pesticides, he said. In the U.S., pesticides were discovered to become ineffective after just a couple of months. With just five per cent of a colony out foraging at any given time, when those foragers don’t return, the colony’s queens (which can number up to 20) are equipped to increase egg laying. The weather isn’t helping either. Higgins has found that once a colony has become winter-hardened, they can survive temperatures as low as minus 15 Celsius with no mortality. See Page 3
Tips to avoid being stung • keep moving, as remaining stationary can allow the ants to crawl up shoes and legs • be careful where you stand, as this species of ant is aggressive and known to swarm when disturbed • wear protective clothing during outdoor activities, such as boots, and tuck pant legs into socks
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