Fire Ant Information (invasive species)

(Updated on 20 July 2021)

Our measures against fire ants

Fire ants were found in a container unloaded in the Port of Kobe on June 2017 for the first time in Japan. Since then, ports across the country are taking measures against fire ants. Port of Shimizu personnel are also are checking for fire ants at the container yard continuously since June 2017.

In addition, we have set insect traps in the container yard and surroundings and exchange them about once a week to check whether or not fire ants have been captured.

Timeline of events(2021)

Date	Events
May 28	Carried out a Patrol with a specialist in entomology Toshio Kishimoto（ Associate Professor of of Natural and Environment history）- found no fire ants and red imported fire ants.
June 16	Held "Fire ants work shop" for the harbor-related company.
July 5	Set traps in Sodeshi No1 Wharf and Shin-Okitsu Wharf.
July 6	Collected traps Set on July 5. Found no fire ants and red imported fire ants.
July 21	A specialist company commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment placed baits in the Shin-Okitsu and Sodeshi No.1 piers, and checked for ants 10 minutes later. → 30 worker ants of red imported fire ants were confirmed and exterminated on the concrete surface of the container yard at the Shin-Okitsu Pier.

The first appearance of fire ants in the Port of Shimizu was on July 28, 2017 in a container put in Sodeshi No.1 Wharf, and that of red imported fire ants is on August 24 2017 on the ground of Shin-Okitsu Container Terminal. Furthermore, in Fukuroi city fire ants were found in a container transported from the Port of Shimizu.

We set insect traps and insecticidal bait where fire ants or red imported fire ants were found, and exchanged them on regular basis to grasp living condition of fire ants and to exterminate them.

Furthermore, in the Sodeshi No.1 Wharf and Shin-Okitsu Wharf, we set traps everywhere whether fire ants were discovered or not.

When you suspect you may have found fire ants…

If you find ants considered to be fire ants in Port of Shimizu, kill them with insecticide at first and contact Security and Maintenance Division in Port Authority (054-353-2202) immediately.

Please be extra careful when you open containers and handle cargo.