Overview

• Authorities have recorded occurrences in Dresden-Langebrück and a Coswig garden center, marking the species’ first confirmed presence in Saxony.
• Supercolonies of Tapinoma magnum can encompass hundreds of thousands to millions of ants, making standard insecticide treatments largely ineffective.
• Experts say the invasive ants predominantly hitchhike on imported Mediterranean potted plants and can also spread through vegetable farms.
• Previous infiltrations in Kehl have penetrated homes and technical infrastructure, triggering power and internet outages.
• Natural history museums in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe have launched a research initiative to educate the public and recommend reporting infestations rather than using insecticides.