A local resident referred to the incident as a “disaster.”
A tiny creature has caused chaos in a village in western Germany. (Photo: Pitopia).
According to a report by Bild (Germany) on June 19, ants have created havoc in the village of Altweinholzchen, near the town of Waldenburg in western Germany, after mating and breeding, leading to disruptions in the Internet network.
A telecommunications and Internet junction box in the village was damaged due to the ants nesting inside.
The lack of Internet access has left many residents frustrated as they were unable to make phone calls or work online for an entire week.
Manfred Wörl, a 66-year-old villager, told local media, “This is a disaster! The whole village has lost Internet access and cannot use phone services.”
A junction box in Altweinholzchen damaged by ant nesting. (Photo: Deutsche Telekom)
Matthias Nuss, an insect expert, explained that the mating season for ants typically occurs in the spring. After mating, they search for new nests.
Since ants prefer to live in cramped, dark spaces, the junction boxes of the local telecommunications provider have become an ideal habitat for them.
“The young ants will stay in the junction box because they see it as a cave,” Matthias told local media.
While residing in the junction box, the ant colony secretes a substance containing 2mg of formic acid, which can corrode metal and cables. This substance helps protect the ants from natural predators.
According to local media, this year alone, Telekom—the company responsible for the junction boxes in the area of Altweinholzchen—has reported five incidents of Internet and telecommunications disruptions due to the ants. Georg von Wagner, a spokesperson for Telekom, mentioned that the ants crawling over the electronic components of the junction box caused short circuits.
