Huge nest of rare super ants with fatal attraction to electricity spotted in a UK home

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A huge nest of rare super ants, known to feast on electric cables, has been found in the UK.

The insects, which have a fatal attraction to electricity, were found at a property in Hendon in north London.

'lasius neglectus' super ants Credit: PA

Their love of power cables is a fire risk and the insects are much harder to control than regular garden ants.

Asian super ants gathered around electric wires Credit: PA

The first sighting of the insects in the UK was at at Hidcote Manor Gloucestershire in 2009. This YouTube video shows their 'super' strength.

Pest controllers say some of the ants may have escaped from Gloucestershire and colonised parts of southern England.

They were first found two decades ago in Budapest in Hungary and have since been found in Germany, France and Spain.

Unlike garden ants, they often swarm together instead of crawling in lines.