ZHENGZHOU, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Customs officials in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, recently seized more than 600 live ants from a parcel shipped from Turkey.

The ants were packed in eight test tubes, each containing one queen and nearly 100 other ants. The recipient said the ants were planned to be kept as pets.

According to preliminary identification, the ant colonies belong to the Camponotus genus. Such species are large in size with strong reproduction ability and high adaptability, posing a threat to the ecological balance.