Stinging red fire ants are set to invade Britain

The invasive species, known as Solenopis invicta, are spreading rapidly across Europe due to global warming and are on their way to the UK.

Native to South America and considered highly destructive due to their ability to form super colonies and multiply, scientists are warning the critters, which are marching from Italy to Britain, can destroy native ants and crops.

Roger Vila from Spain’s Institute of Evolutionary Biology said: “The results suggest that half of the urban areas in Europe would be climatically suitable for the establishment of this invasive species.

“Large cities such as Barcelona, Rome, London or Paris could be considerably affected by this invasive species, which can impact people’s lifestyles due to its abundance and aggressiveness.

“Mediterranean coastal cities, highly connected by seaports, are the most suitable to S. invicta, which could facilitate its spread.

“Considering climate change predictions, the scenario could become much worse, as the species could potentially expand to other parts of Europe."

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