Electric ants and Asian hornets: France pushes for EU-wide eradication effort
Ecology minister demands greater EU coordination to tackle invasive species
Both Asian hornets and electric ants are present in France as well as other EU countries
Berit Kessler / Juru Desain / Shutterstock
France is seeking better European co-ordination in eradicating invasive species such as Asian hornets and electric ants, as the insects continue to spread across the continent.
French Minister for ecological transition Monique Barbut will raise the issue in a meeting with compatriot EU environment ministers today (June 26).
According to a report in Le Figaro the office of Ms Barbut said that while European regulations already exist France wants a discussion that is “more coordinated from an operational standpoint.”
Asian hornets and electric ants are highlighted as “test species… for which a coordinated European eradication effort would be implemented,” a document set to be given to EU ministers reportedly states.
France is looking to distinguish between long-term invasive species such as the Asian hornet, and more recent arrivals such as the electric ant.
For the former, it concedes that total national eradication is unlikely, but wants to introduce a “culture of adaptation,” to minimise its impact.
For electric ants however, which were only first confirmed in France in 2022, it calls for “stepped-up control measures” to wipe out all current colonies.
If successful, the mechanisms could be used against other species such as tiger mosquitoes.
Hornets and ants impact biodiversity
Both Asian hornets and electric ants are major issues across France, impacting biodiversity and threatening humans.
The former are responsible for several fatal attacks against humans, and are predominant in the summer and autumn, with queens beginning to emerge in spring.
There is a risk that the May and June heatwaves may lead to record Asian hornet numbers this summer, with the species surviving the mild winter.
Asian hornets are predators of European bee species, severely impacting local bee populations and pollination.
Present since 2004, property owners are encouraged to target the species using traps – in some cases, these are available for free.
A third colony of electric ants - also known as little fire ants – was recently confirmed in south-east France.
Scientists argue that current European regulations make eradication of the insects impossible, and that further spread of the species across France could seriously impact other wildlife.
A lack of funding to eradicate the species risks seeing them spread across France’s warmer climates.
One particular point of concern is that the electric ants found in France are variants from Israel or Cyprus, which are more resistant to the cold.
Native to South America, the ants are classified as among the worst invasive species globally, wreaking havoc on local ecosystems by destroying insect populations and attacking small birds and other animals.
Stings can be incredibly painful to humans, potentially cause anaphylactic shock, and the ants frequently target the eyes of cats and dogs, leading to blindness in pets.
