Qingdao customs in east China's Shandong Province has seized dozens of living ants and ant eggs in a mail from Australia, the customs said in a bulletin.

Customs officers carried out machine check Wednesday on the suspicious mail and found 14 living ants and 20 ant eggs in four glass finger tubes that were declared as personal items.

The ants, after preliminary identification, include one myrmecia pilosula and 13 iridomyrmex purpureus, both endemic to Australia.

The myrmecia pilosula, with a body length up to 2.5 cm, is a giant ant somewhat toxic. Invasion of these alien species will post potential risks on the ecological environment and cause economic losses as they reproduce, the customs said.

According to China's law, living insects are prohibited from entering the country, with special permission on quarantine required for scientific research reasons.

Quarantine treatment on the ants has been finished by now.

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)