For help with identifying fire ants, visit Fire Ant Eradication. You can view the fire ant identification video and photo gallery. You can also see some ant species that are often mistaken for fire ants.
Nests
Fire ant nests can appear as dome-shaped mounds or be flat and look like a small patch of disturbed soil.
All nests have no obvious entry or exit holes.
When checking suspicious ant nests gently poke the nest with a long stick and observe the ants that come out.
Be careful not to get too close, as fire ants are aggressive. They swarm when disturbed and have a painful sting.
Fire ant treatment - short term pilot
Council is conducting a targeted fire ant treatment pilot for a period of 3 months on local government owned land using insect growth regulator to target only nesting fire ants. We are working with Biosecurity Queensland to upskill our staff and use appropriate baits to target these pests.
The program is being undertaken to support Biosecurity Queensland in eradicating fire ants in our community.
Fire Ant treatment will cover 2750 hectares within our city and will be undertaken in the following parks:
Report Fire Ants
If you find fire ants in your property, contact Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23, or report using the online form. The faster you report, the less chance there is of fire ants becoming a problem and spreading.
Our role
Everyone leads the efforts to find, contain and destroy fire ants in South East Queensland. We support by:
- reporting fire ant nests
- reducing the risks to the community and environments
- supporting the Fire Ant Suppression Taskforce with a collaborative approach.
Reporting fire ants
If you find fire ants in your property, contact the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) on 13 25 23. The faster you report, the less chance there is of fire ants becoming a problem and spreading.
You can report fire ants on the National Fire Ant Eradication Program website.
The Fire Ant Eradication Program map shows sites in Queensland that have had fire ants in the last 12 months.