Residents and businesses should be on the lookout for fire ants after nests were found in North Arm.
The nests were discovered and reported by a vigilant landscaping company. We have treated the nests found so far and surveillance activities are now underway.
Spot suspect ants or a nest? You can report it to us online or by calling 132 ANT (13 22 68).
What do fire ants look like?
Fire ants are copper brown in colour, with a darker abdomen. While small, 2–6 mm in size, their sting is incredibly painful and in rare cases can lead to anaphylactic shock and death.
It’s vital you’re able to identify fire ants on your property. For help with identification, please visit our website.
What do fire ant nests look like?
Fire ant nests have no obvious entry or exit holes. Nests can be mounds or be flat and look like a small patch of loose soil. Nests will have no clear entry or exit holes.
For more information about what to look for, please visit our website.
Where will I find fire ants?
Fire ant nests are usually found in open areas such as lawns and pastures, and along roadsides and unused cropland. Nests can also be found next to or under other objects on the ground, such as timber, logs, rocks, pavers or bricks.
Places you may find fire ants:
- In and around logs and rocks
- Around dams
- Gardening materials such as pot plants
- Edges of cultivated land
- Lawns
- Crop land
- Garden beds
- Fence lines
- Taps and utility pits
- Piles of organic matter.
When checking nests for fire ants, gently poke the nest with a long stick and observe the ants that come out. Be careful not to get too close, as fire ants are aggressive and will swarm when disturbed.
Reporting fire ants
Fire ants have the potential to have devastating consequences on our environment, economy, human health and way of life. They can destroy our outdoor lifestyle, damage crops and machinery and render land unusable.
If we don’t work together and stop them, fire ants could infest all of Australia, costing our economy $2 billion per year, every year
You can report fire ants in two easy steps:
- Take a close-up photo or video of any suspicious ants or nests.
- Complete our online report form or call 132 ANT (13 22 68)
We urge residents, businesses and industry to continue to check their yards, workplaces, local parks and recreational areas for fire ants regularly.
Stopping the spread of fire ants
Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, everyone, including individuals and organisations, have a general biosecurity obligation (GBO) to take all reasonable steps to prevent the spread of fire ants. This includes reporting fire ants within 24 hours and if possible, treating the infestation.
Fire ant biosecurity zones are in place to help manage the movement of materials that could spread the pest, such as soil, hay, turf and other organic. Learn more about how to stop the spread on our website https://www.fireants.org.au/
National Fire Ant Eradication Program Facebook
National Fire Ant Eradication Program
PO Box 426, Browns Plains
Qld 4118.