Media Alert by Biosecurity Queensland, 22 September 2017
New detections of Red Imported Fire Ants have been found in Beaudesert.
The fire ants were found by Biosecurity Queensland officers through routine surveillance on 20 September 2017.
Biosecurity Queensland officers have destroyed the nests by direct nest injection with insecticide, and baited the area around the nest with an insect growth regulator to ensure that all ants in the colony are destroyed.
Biosecurity Queensland urges all residents and business operators in Beaudesert, Gleneagle, Cryna, Versdale, Bromelton, Josephville, Tabragalba to check their properties, gardens and work sites, and report any suspect looking ants.
You can identify fire ants by their coppery-brown colour and darker coloured abdomen. While small, 2–6 millimetres in size, their sting is incredibly painful and in rare cases can lead to anaphylactic shock and death.
Fire ant nests look like mounds of loose soil with no visible entry or exit holes.
Here are the top five places you are likely to find fire ants:
Residential | Rural |
In and around logs and rocks | Around dams |
Gardening materials such as pot plants | Edges of cultivated land |
Lawns | Crop land post-harvest |
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.
You can report fire ants in 2 easy steps
- Take a close-up photo of any suspicious ants or nests.
- Send us the photo and complete the ‘Yard check report’ online at daf.qld.gov.au/fireants or call 13 25 23.
Fire ants are one of the worst invasive species to reach Australia’s shores and can ruin our lifestyle, restricting everyday activities such as barbeques, picnics and sporting events.
Australia is the closest any country has come to eradicating fire ants, but we still have a lot of work to do to beat this serious invasive pest. We urge residents to continue to check their yards, local parks and recreational areas for fire ants. With continued public vigilance we aim to eradicate them once and for all.