Villagers: ‘We’re Facing An Ant Invasion!’

Residents of Scotland Halfmoon Village say a black ant infestation that began after Hurricane Lisa has taken over yards, pastures, fruit trees, and at least six homes in the community. Residents say despite reaching out to authorities, no one has come to help.

Norman Anthony, one of the affected residents, told News 5 the problem emerged years ago and has only worsened over time. “Right now if you walk in the yard, they will start crawling all over your feet…I don’t know if the black ants eat out the red ants, but we don’t have any more red ants,” he said.

He estimates that five or six families are dealing with the infestation across 40 to 50 acres of land. What makes them even more difficult to get rid of is that they are not concentrated in one spot but spread throughout the entire area. “If you walk in the yard and you lift up something that’s lying on the ground, you will see a lot of white eggs,” he said.

Anthony says the ants are damaging fruit trees, getting into the roots, and harming newborn animals by crawling into their eyes. He added that they also invade homes, particularly when rain is approaching.

Residents say they have tried multiple pesticides, but the problem persists. “With some medicines they go away for a little while, but they still come back,” Anthony said.

He added that the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) was contacted for assistance but has not yet sent a team to assess the situation. The community says they’re not asking for much, just for someone in authority to come and see the problem firsthand.

“If they can come up with something that can kill the ants or make them go away,” Anthony said. “It’s really terrible.”