Electric ants are a serious invasive pest that can inflict a nasty venomous sting and have the potential to impact our outdoor lifestyle, unique environment and profitable tourism and agriculture industries. 

Native to Central and South America, they were discovered in Cairns in 2006, and in March 2022 they were discovered at the Cow Bay Waste Transfer Facility. Biosecurity Queensland and the Douglas Shire Council responded quickly and this outbreak was eliminated. 

Since January 2024, three new infestations have been identified on properties between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation. They were well established, indicating that they had been there for some time. 

Today, the National Electric Ant Eradication Program has made significant progress in eradicating electric ants from Australia. Surveillance is ongoing, and treatment and containment measures are continuing in areas of Far North Queensland where the ants have been detected.

How are infestations treated? 

The treatment used in the the eradication of outbreaks is specifically designed for electric ants is harmless to humans and other animals, even fire ants and yellow crazy ants.

Only infested areas receive treatment, and within those areas most, if not all, native species would have been driven out or killed already by electric ants. 

Other facts about the treatment, as provided by the Queensland Government:

  • The treatment breaks down after 48 hours – sooner if wet.
  • If we ask people to lock up their chickens or pets for the first 48 hours of the treatment being laid out, it is not because it will harm them, but because the treatment is designed to be collected by the EA worker ants and taken back to the queens – if the animals pick up the workers, we miss this opportunity.
  • A person or animal would need to eat several times their own body weight of treatment to even feel any ill effects.

The simple fact is that if we didn't eradicate electric ants from the Daintree, there will be no native species around. In areas where eradication is complete, recovery has been rapid with native species returning to their natural habitats, and plants and trees regaining their health.

Allowing access to conduct yard checks is simple and fast, and goes a long way to helping find infestations people may be otherwise unaware of. Early detection considerably reduces the time and work required to reach eradication.

Register for a free electric ant yard check or report suspect electric ants now

You can also add your voice to our petition, which is calling on the Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to take urgent action and increase funding to eliminate electric ants in the Daintree. 

Click here to sign our petition

 

 

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