Red imported fire ant
The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) is one of the world’s worst invasive species and is a nationally significant pest under the National Environmental Biosecurity Response Agreement (NEBRA).
Distribution
Fire ants have been under eradication in Queensland since 2001.
On 25 November 2023, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) confirmed the detection of fire ants at Murwillumbah in north-eastern NSW, 13km south of the Queensland border.
On 19 January 2024, a fire ant nest was confirmed in a temporary housing complex in Wardell, south of Ballina NSW.
These are the first fire ant detections in northern NSW stemming from the infested area of SE Queensland.
To date, there has not been any detections of this ant in the ACT.
You can read more about outbreaks of fire ants across Australia and response activities at outbreak.gov.au.
Keeping red imported fire ants out of the ACT
Red imported fire ants would have a significant effect on the ACT’s environment and many industries, including agriculture. These ants can inflict painful bites on people, pets and livestock, and restrict everyday activities such as barbeques, picnics and sporting events. Bites can cause a small blister to form at the site of each sting after several hours.
Restrictions to possession, supply and imports
Under the Pest Plants and Animals Act 2005, it is an offence to keep or supply Red important fire ants in the ACT.
Under the Plant Diseases Act 2002 , import restrictions apply for high risk biosecurity material that could bring Red imported fire ants into the ACT. This includes nursery plants, plant-based stockfeed and landscape supplies from within a 5 kilometre radius of the nests recently found in South Murwillumbah and Wardell (near Ballina) in north-eastern NSW and areas in south-east Queensland declared as fire ant biosecurity zones including Redcliffe, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Gatton.
Importers of these materials from affected areas need to meet strict import conditions such as using heat treatment, applying an Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority-approved chemical for the control of fire ants and providing a plant health certificate. Information for businesses and industries, including a free fire ant compliance tool, is available at fireants.org.au.
National Fire Ant Eradication Program
The ACT Government is providing $5.098 million over 4 years towards the National Fire Ant Eradication Program.
Without the program, red imported fire ants would infest approximately 100 million hectares in an arc of country from Mackay in the north, west to Longreach and south to Canberra.
Investing in national eradication efforts has avoided billions of dollars of public health, infrastructure, agricultural, environmental, and social amenity impacts.
Read more about the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program partnership.
What you can do to help
Biosecurity is a shared responsibility – you can do your part to stop the spread by:
Checking the measures that must be implemented before entering the ACT with hay, turf, soil, mulch, potted plants or machinery from NSW and Queensland.
Be on the lookout for unknown plant and animal species – for assistance identifying an ant please call 02 6207 3587.
If you think you have seen fire ants or their nests, do not disturb or touch them. Contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81 during business hours.
What red imported fire ants look like
Fire ants look much like ordinary house or garden ants. They are small, reddish-brown in colour on the head and body, with a darker abdomen, and come in a variety of sizes within one nest, ranging from 2–6mm. This is a distinguishing feature of fire ants.
Their nests look like dome-shaped mounds up to 40cm high. Mounds will not always be evident, but are usually found in open areas such as lawns, pastures and along roadsides.
To help identify fire ants, watch this fire ant identification video.
For assistance identifying a fire ant please call 02 6207 3587.
More information
Read more about fire ants from: