Huge colony of potentially dangerous ants between The Hague and Wassenaar

There is currently a “supercolony” of ants that are originally from Asia by the Waalsdorpervlakte between The Hague and Wassenaar. This group is the first colony of pest ants that have been spotted in a natural area in the northwest of Europe, according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).

The ants can cause subsidence in roads and nuisance in buildings. That is why it is important, according to the NVWA, to "prevent further spread of the ants by dragging soil, building materials, and green waste.”

The colony covers an area of ​​at least 3.4 hectares, comparable to at least five football fields, the organization reported. The area is a part of the Natura 2000 area of Meijendel & Berkheide. It is also a water catchment area.

Paths have already sunk due to ants at various locations near the Waalsdorpervlakte. Employees of an office building nearby have also experienced a nuisance from the insects.

“The chance of damage to electronics seems to be low because the ants have not shown any preference towards electronic items,” said the NVWA. "The pest ant did not affect the water supply of the nature reserve."