An "invasive and alien" ant species has been found multiplying around Osaka, or Itami, International Airport in western Japan.

City municipality officials, who scanned the 10-hectare (24-acre) land surrounding the western facade of the airport in Osaka, reported that they had detected an "Argentine ants" species.

It was noted that many colonies – each with more than 10,000 inhabitants – of the 2.5-millimeter-long species native to South America, "continue to multiply."

The Japanese Ministry of Environment announced that the species, which it describes as "invasive and alien to the country," was detected for the first time at airports across the nation.

Goka Koichi, head of the Biodiversity Division of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, said the species tends to rally around electronic equipment and cables.

Stating that there may be some problems, including short circuits, in air control equipment, Koichi stated that the colonies may have spread to regional airports.

Osaka International Airport officials announced that they have started a full-scale scan to exterminate the ant species.