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Görlitz: The Ant Pope exposes secret intruders!
An ant of the genus Tapinoma was discovered in Görlitz. Entomologist Bernhard Seifert explains their safety and origin.
Görlitz: The Ant Pope exposes secret intruders!
An exciting discovery is causing a stir in Görlitz: an ant of the Tapinoma genus was discovered in a local hardware store. But don’t worry – it’s not the invasive species Tapinoma magnum, as the experienced entomologist and ant expert Bernhard Seifert from the Senckenberg Museum explains. This makes the ant found largely harmless and it will not form super colonies.
How does such a discovery come about? Seifert, who has had a great interest in ants since his childhood, found his passion in the sandbox. Today he has an impressive laboratory on Sonnenstrasse in Görlitz, where he maintains an extensive collection of ant specimens. This expert was born in Zwickau in 1955 and knew a GDR children's book about ants by heart when he was eleven. His studies at the University of Leipzig in the 1970s opened the doors to better microscopes and specialist literature, which enriched his research enormously.
The dangers of invasive ant species
But what is so special about it? Tapinoma magnum? This species of ant migrated from the Mediterranean region over two decades ago and is now spreading through various regions, usually forming large nests with millions of inhabitants. A challenge for many people in the Palatinate who are helpless against this species. So far there is little hope of successful control - in fact, no effective remedy has been found - and the spread is alarming.
Concerns about the spread of invasive species are by no means unfounded. Loud Antwiki, invasive organisms that live in areas outside their original territory can permanently alter local ecosystems. In doing so, they displace native species and reduce biological diversity. Species such as the pharaoh ant and the fire ants are of particular concern.
Where do the ants come from?
In Seifert's opinion, the ant found in Görlitz could have come to the region through the sale of plants in hardware stores. It is not the first find of its kind; the problems posed by invasive species are a recurring theme. The estimates show that invasive animals and plants have never been successfully eradicated worldwide. Sometimes there can even be a balance between the invaders and the control measures, but this often comes at a high cost.
Conclusion: While the newly discovered ant in Görlitz provides relief, concerns about invasive species such as Tapinoma magnum remain in the back of the mind. We are all required to remain vigilant and keep an eye on developments in nature.