An outbreak of invasive electric ants has confirmed a significant threat to the Daintree Lowland Rainforest and the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.
Electric ants Photo: © Alex Wilder
Electric Ants are category 1 restricted under the Biosecurity Act 2014. 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 thought to be eliminated. Since January 2024, however, three new infestations have been identified on properties between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation. They are well established, indicating that they have been there for some time and its likely they have spread to other properties.
As with other invasive species, electric ants (Wasmannia auropunctata) can cause negative social and environmental impacts. Electric ants only grow to about 1.5 millimetres in length, however, they can inflict painful stings on humans, wild animals, and potentially blind domestic pets. In natural ecosystems they can decrease nutrient cycling, which in turn can create a cascade effect that displaces large numbers of native animals, ants, and other insects.
Biosecurity Queensland's Gary Morton, the principal project officer for the National Electric Ant Eradication Program (NEAEP), said officers had discovered the suspected original infestation on a residential property north of the Daintree River.
"The good thing for us with electric ants is that they don't fly and they don't move very far on their own," Mr Morton said.
The ants move anywhere from zero to 25 metres in a year on their own.
"The main way they get moved is through human-assisted movement, and that is through carriers such as pot plants and plant materials."
Electric ants establish colonies anywhere and have been found under stones, in potted plants, in garden waste, leaf litter, soil, trees, around swimming pools and water courses, and may be in wall cavities, clothing, bedding, garden furniture or camping gear.
Residents in the Daintree lowlands can help reduce the risk of further electric ant outbreaks by educating themselves and the community on the risk and how to identify the ants. Being careful to check for ants before moving potentially infested items, especially pot plants, is also important.
Please, sign our petition calling for increased action to eradicate Electric Ants from the Daintree Rainforest.
Electric ants in leaf litter. Photo: Queensland Government
The electric ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) is a dreaded pest whose dense super colonies dominate landscapes ecologically, displacing other insects and preying on small vertebrates - Invasive Species Council.
“The National Electric Ant Eradication Program (NEAEP) 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”, is affirmed on the NEAEPs website.
The Daintree community’s greatest natural, socio-cultural and economic asset, is the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.
The Daintree Lowland Rainforest is the oldest rainforest on Earth, having existed continuously for over 120 million years. It holds exceptionally high biodiversity and conservation value and is the largest continuous area of tropical rainforest remaining in Australia. Rainforests once covered much of Australia, however, as conditions became drier the rainforest contracted to remnants along the east coast.
The flora of the Daintree contains an almost complete record of the evolution of plant life on Earth, including extremely ancient flowering plant families found nowhere else. The Daintree Lowland Rainforest also provides a refuge for many unique species of fauna including the southern cassowary, Bennett’s tree-kangaroo, and musky rat-kangaroo.
Protecting the Daintree lowlands from electric ants requires the support of the community. Once established, eradication may not be possible and control measures cost in the tens of millions.
If you see electric ants, please report them to Biosecurity Queensland immediately by calling 13 25 23.
If you have ants that might be electric ants, you can post them, along with your contact details and address, to the National Electric Ant Eradication Program at PO Box 652, Cairns, QLD, 4870 (just make sure the ants are dead). You can also phone for a collection kit and a reply-paid envelope for submitting sample ants.
Please, sign our petition calling for increased action to eradicate Electric Ants from the Daintree Rainforest.
Impacts of electric ants, according to Queensland Government:
Environmental
- Can out-compete and displace other ant species.
- Can cause declines in numbers of invertebrates and small vertebrates. In the long term, dense infestations reduce overall biodiversity.
- Thought to have reduced reptile populations in New Caledonia and tortoise populations in Galapagos Archipelago, where ants eat hatchlings and attack eyes and cloacae of adult tortoises.
Economic
- Electric ants collect honeydew from sap-sucking insects and protect them from other predators. This can result in agricultural farms experiencing dieback and reduction in crop yield through reduced plant vigour and the spread of crop diseases such as sooty mould. In addition to lost crop production, direct production costs are increased by additional insecticide and fungicide treatment required.
- In some countries, there has been a significant loss in tourism as their painful sting discourages outdoor recreational activities.
Social
- Inflict painful stings on humans that cause painful, itchy, persistent pimples and, rarely, severe allergic reactions.
- May sting, and possibly blind, domestic pets.
- Dense infestations may leave backyards or pools unusable.
- May invade insides of houses.
Identifying electric ants. They are:
- Are tiny—about 1.5mm long
- Are golden brown in colour
- Are usually slow-moving
- Are social and are often found in groups
- Establish colonies anywhere and have been found under stones, in potted plants, in garden waste, leaf litter, soil, trees, around swimming pools and water courses, and may be in wall cavities, clothing, bedding, garden furniture or camping gear
- Can be found in wet or dry conditions
- Can survive in water
- Form distinct foraging lines
If you see electric ants, please report them to Biosecurity Queensland immediately by calling 13 25 23.
Signage at Forest Creek in the Daintree Rainforest
Please, sign our petition calling for increased action to eradicate Electric Ants from the Daintree Rainforest.
