An Asian super-ant that forms colonies of millions and can cause fires due to its fatal attraction to electricity is spreading across the country, experts warn.

The species, Lasius Neglectus, thrives in gardens and greenhouses and has invaded homes from Yorkshire to Sussex.

The super ant - also known as ‘the fire ant’ because it is attracted to power sockets and cables, sparking blackouts and fires - was first identified in Britain in 2009 at a National Trust manor in Gloucestershire, where more than 35,000 were found.

The insect looks the same as a common black garden ant but the number of workers in a colony is between 10 and 100 times greater. It is native to Turkey but has been a growing problem across Europe, living interconnected nests that can span 50 acres.