Görlitz: The ants pope exposes secret intruders!

Görlitz: The ants pope exposes secret intruders!

In Görlitz, an exciting find causes a stir: An antities of the genus Tapinoma was discovered in a local hardware store. But don't worry-it is not the invasive art Tapinoma Magnum Seifert from the Senckenberg Museum. 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 great interest in ants since childhood, found his passion in the sandpit. Today he has an impressive laboratory on Sonnenstrasse in Görlitz, where he maintains an extensive collection of ant preparations. This expert was born in Zwickau in 1955 and already memorized a GDR children's book about ants as an eleven-year-old. 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 ants

But what is special about the Tapinoma magnum ? This ant type immigrated from the Mediterranean over two decades ago and is now spreading through different regions, usually forming large nests with millions of residents. A challenge for many people in the Palatinate who stand helpless compared to this kind. So far there has been little hope of successful control - no effective means has been found - and the spread is alarming.

The concerns about the spread of invasive species are by no means unfounded. According to antwiki , invasive living things that live in areas outside of their original territory can change locally ecosystems. They displace native species and reduce the biological diversity. Types such as the pharaoh iron or the fire ants are particularly worrying.

where do the ants come from?

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 this kind; The problems that involve invasive species are a recurring topic. The estimates show that invasive animals and plants have never been successfully exterminated worldwide. Sometimes there can even be a balance between the invaders and the control measures, which is often associated with high costs.

FAZIT: While the newly discovered ant in Görlitz ensures relief, the concerns about invasive species such as the tapinoma magnum remain in mind. We are all challenged to stay attentive and to keep an eye on developments in nature.