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Invasive ants travel by car
Seven different alien insect species were observed moving around by vehicle in Taiwan
Ants may be hitching rides in cars and trucks to invade new territory. Citizen science reports—mostly from social media—revealed that nine different species were observed using cars to move around Taiwan between 2017 and 2023. They often get into the interior of cars while parked, travel with the drivers then exit in new areas. Seven of these species are considered invasive in Taiwan. The study was published recently in Ecological Entomology, and researcher Scotty Yang at Virginia Tech said that invasive species in the eastern United States may be using similar techniques to get around.
Header Image: Ants discovered inside a car, catching a ride to a new home. Credit: Scotty Yang/Virginia Tech
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