The National Fire Ant Eradication Program aims to find, contain and destroy fire ants in South East Queensland. Our 10-year Eradication Plan involves an intensive and targeted eradication effort over South East Queensland, spanning from Lockyer Valley in the west to Redlands in the east, north to Moreton Bay and south to the Gold Coast.

Red imported fire ant (RIFA) (Solenopsis invicta) is one of the worst invasive species to reach Australia. 

Red imported fire ants can: 

• impact our environment and many industries, including agriculture 
• restrict everyday activities such as barbeques, picnics, and sporting events
• inflict painful stings on people, pets, and livestock
• cause extensive damage to ecological and agricultural systems.

Red imported fire ants are a category 1 restricted matter under the National Environmental Biosecurity Response Agreement.

Yellow crazy ants are on the list of the world’s 100 worst invasive species. 

They are a highly aggressive species, and have made their way into Australia through our ports. After first arriving on Christmas island sometime before 1934, yellow crazy ants have since been recorded in Queensland, the Northern Territory and NSW. They now threaten areas like Queensland’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, the oldest continuously surviving tropical rainforests on the planet. 

Yellow crazy ants do not bite. Instead, they spray formic acid to blind and kill their prey. And although they’re tiny, they can swarm in great numbers, killing much larger animals like lizards, frogs, small mammals, turtle hatchlings and bird chicks and reshaping entire ecosystems. 

Overseas, in places like the Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, yellow crazy ants have killed and deformed large numbers of chicks in seabird colonies by constantly spraying them with acid. 

But the numbers and impacts of yellow crazy ants fluctuate depending on local environmental conditions. And northern Queensland’s Wet Tropics just happen to be their ideal habitat. If not stopped in their tracks they could threaten Queensland with economic and ecological disaster, putting the state’s sugar cane and tourism industries  at risk and threatening devastating impacts on local communities. 

*Invasives Species Council

The National Fire Ant Eradication Program aims to find, contain and destroy fire ants in South East Queensland. Our 10-year Eradication Plan involves an intensive and targeted eradication effort over South East Queensland, spanning from Lockyer Valley in the west to Redlands in the east, north to Moreton Bay and south to the Gold Coast.

Workers 4 to 6 weeks. Fire Ant Queens can live up to 7 years.

Fire Ants do. Fire Ant Queens sleep for an average of 9 hours a day.

Fire Ants are much smaller than your average red ant – about 2mm to 6mm in size. Fire Ants also have two petioles. These are small bumps on the back of their bodies. If you’re close enough to notice this detail, they’re probably already stinging you.

Fire Ant Queens will have a large head & thorax that make them standout from normal workers.

Fire Ants can also spread when people move: materials such as soil, hay, mulch, manure, quarry products, turf and potted plant.They also raft float on themselves) on rivers and streams.

A Fire Ant Queen can fly up to 5 km’s and up to 30 km’s – wind assisted.

Taking an oral antihistamine may help the itchiness. Applying hydrocortisone cream on the affected skin two times a day should help reduce itchiness and the rash. Using cold compresses (ice packs) as needed can help reduce pain and swelling. If there is an allergic reaction seek medical help immediately

How to Identify Fire Ant Mounds. Fire Ants usually build their mounds in open, sunny areas. The fluffy mounds often pop up right after rainfall or in irrigated lawns. Unlike other types of ant mounds, undisturbed Fire Ant mounds don’t have any visible entry or exit holes.