Article: Attack of the fire ants

Wednesday August 12, 2009

By IAN MCINTYRE

A COLONY of fire ants attacked a section of the Batu Lanchang hawker centre in Penang with several customers and traders suffering stinging bites that caused huge swellings.

"We came to sample hawker food and did not expect to be bitten by ants," said a customer who was part of a group to savour the food at the centre.

Pest control: Workers trimming the tree next to the Batu Lanchang hawker centre in Penang.

When the ants first appeared on a tree several weeks ago, the traders sought help from the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) to get rid of them.

Photocopier operator Lim Bee Bee said the MPPP workers put a chemical pesticide on the tree.

"But the fire ants were resistant to it and instead, they crawled onto the zinc roof," she said.

Several of her neighbouring traders suffered huge swellings after being bitten, she said.

The tree was yesterday trimmed by a contractor hired by Batu Lanchang assemblyman Danny Law. His political secretary, Ooi Soo Chuan, said MPPP would also be asked to deploy its people to spray pesticide on the rooftop to destroy the remaining ants.

He said the insect could be dangerous to those with allergies as its sting could lead to health complications.

When contacted, a state Veterinary Services Department official said they would make an inspection to check whether they were more colonies of fire ants in the area.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Metro: North 12 August 2009