Everton Park
It’s been awhile since Fire Ants have been in the news but Biosecurity Queensland have recently released information regarding a new infestation across a whopping 42 new locations including Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Redlands and Laidley.
Never seen a fire ant before? They’re vicious little creatures, 2-6mm long, copper-brown in colour with a dark brown abdomen. They hide in honeycombed nests under the ground usually with no visible entry or exit holes, so you could walk over the top of one and not even know it. Often though, they’ve been known to hide in pot plants, topsoil stores, mulch and potting mixes, under landscape materials and around waterways.
The existence of Fire Ants has some pretty serious consequences for Queensland’s eco-system which leads to some equally serious economic consequences for our state – not to mention the fact that they’re just plain nasty in the way they gang up on you in groups and sting like wasps or bees.
If you think you’ve found Fire Ants on your property – it’s really important to not attempt to contain their nest yourself as it could result in further environmental damage and they usually relocate by the time you’ve finished trying. Call Biosecurity Queensland immediately on 13 25 23 – they’ll identify and contain the nest. Early detection is absolutely essential to the long-term control of these pests in our state.
For more information on Fire Ants or to find out First Aid information – check out the Primary Industries website here.