The crazy ant: a threat to Barcelona and Catalonia
The crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis) is an invasive exotic species that is spreading through Barcelona and it is feared that it will also spread to other parts of Catalonia. This ant already caused a plague in the Port of Barcelona in 2021, forcing measures to be taken to control it. The main impacts of this ant in the areas of invasion are the displacement of native species and other invertebrates, as well as its high destructive capacity, which makes it a pest in buildings, infrastructures and even in the field agricultural
New focus of the boja formiga to Barcelona
Recently, new foci of this species have been observed in Montjuïc, specifically in the cemetery and in the gardens of Monsignor Costa and Llobera, as well as in the center of the city, in Plaça Catalunya. These new foci have been confirmed by experts in the study of insects and pest control.
Concern over an ‘unstoppable’ plague
Experts warn that this ant plague could be ‘unstoppable’ if not acted upon quickly. In cases of species invasion, rapid detection and action can be effective in stopping the spread. But if measures are not taken in time, the spread of the plague may be impossible to stop, with significant environmental and health consequences.
The crazy ant: an adaptable invasive species
The crazy ant is an invasive species listed as such under state legislation. This species is very adaptable and has a high dispersal capacity, meaning that if it is not comfortable in one place, it can seek out new ones and increase its level of dispersal. Typically, this ant forms small colonies with a few hundred workers and a dozen queens. It originates from tropical Africa and was detected for the first time in Catalonia in February 2020.
The fight against the crazy ant in Barcelona
The foci affected in the cemetery and in the Costa and Llobera gardens are 1.5 and 0.6 km, respectively, from the Port area where the first specimens were found. Experts in pest control consider that this area is very large and seems intractable if the necessary resources are not available to combat the pest. Therefore, it is expected that in the coming years there will be new records of the crazy ant throughout the metropolitan area of Barcelona.
