The Asian needle ant, an invasive species now confirmed in Missouri, is easy to underestimate because its sting can cause serious allergic reactions in some people, including anaphylaxis.
Human activity, especially the movement of firewood and other wood-rich materials, can help invasive species spread into new places.
What happened?
A Springfield resident’s photo of a “weird” ant posted to iNaturalist helped lead to Missouri’s first confirmed identification of the Asian needle ant, according to KCUR.
Emily Althoff, an urban entomologist with MU Extension and Lincoln University, said that she had already been tracking the species to see whether it was approaching Missouri before she collected a specimen herself…