Council fears fire ant ‘super colonies’ will bypass border

Action is being taken to halt the march of fire ants south, amid warnings about the ‘serious threat’ posed by the destructive insects.

FIRE ants are marching south and Tweed Shire Council is determined to halt the foreign invaders at the state border.

The council fears the destructive insects will infiltrate the Tweed and form rapidly spreading ‘super colonies’, bolstered by multiple queens.

The Argentinian ants have not yet spread into New South Wales, though one infestation was detected at Port Botany and eradicated in 2016.

Red imported fire ants have already been recorded at three locations in the Gold Coast City Council area, states the Tweed council’s comprehensive Pest Management Program Report.

Infestations of the omnivorous ants reported at Hope Island, Helensvale and Labrador have been a real worry.

“Having infestations so close to the border of Tweed Shire is of great concern, as this species of ant is highly mobile and are often transported with soil, turf or other products,” the report states.

A sign at Runaway Bay following the discovery of fire ant nests there in March.

Biosecurity Queensland detected four nests at Runaway Bay Soccer Club earlier this year - marking the first time the ants have ever been seen so far south in Queensland.

The ants, considered a “serious threat” to the Tweed’s health, environment and economy, are known to hitch a ride in scaffolding and building materials.

They destroy seeds, harvest honey from invertebrates and also scavenge relentlessly for food.

The council hopes to host annual workshops for staff and the community under the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program.

Tweed and Byron council staff attended a meeting late last year, designed to help the local government organisations deal with the looming threat.

Tweed council staff are working with the program to reduce the risk of invasion.

Fire ant stings are painful and described as similar to wasps or bees, however, the ants can sting repeatedly, unlike bees.

The fire ants deliver a painful sting, which in rare cases can even prove lethal.

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Symptoms of a fire ant sting include, flushing, hives, swelling of the face, eyes or throat, chest pain, nausea, severe sweating, breathing difficulties and faintness.

In rare cases, anaphylactic shock can prove lethal.

The ants, first discovered in Australia at Richlands and the Port of Brisbane in 2001, can have devastating impacts on farming.

They attack livestock and poultry, invade food and water supplies, predate on newborn animals, and cause tunnelling damage to some plants.

The Queensland Government has movement controls in place in areas where the ants have been detected.