Fire ants

Fire ants are a pest that can have a big impact on native environments and our way of life. They have a painful, fiery sting which, in rare cases, can cause severe allergic reactions.

What do they look like?

a small ant of about 2 to 6 mm copper brown in colour with a darker abdomen

Fire ants can be identified by a few distinguishing features. They are:

  • copper brown in colour with a darker abdomen
  • quite small at 2 to 6 millimeters
  • found in a variety of sizes within the one nest.

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.