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How Do I Identify Fire Ants?

Written by PestMan Editorial TeamTechnical review pendingPublished Updated

Quick answer

Red imported fire ants are small (2–6 mm), coppery-brown ants with a darker abdomen, in mixed sizes within one nest. Their nests are mounds of loose, crumbly soil with no obvious entry holes, often in lawns and open sunny areas. When disturbed, they pour out quickly and sting. If you suspect fire ants, don’t disturb the nest; report it.

Why this happens

Fire ants look ordinary at a glance, which is why the nest and behaviour are the best clues. Most household ants either trail into buildings or leave small soil piles along cracks. Fire ants build raised mounds of loose soil in the open, and they respond to disturbance fast and aggressively.

Several common ants are mistaken for fire ants. The coastal brown ant leaves loose soil between pavers and along slabs, but it doesn’t build large raised mounds, and its soldiers have oversized heads. Native meat ants are much larger (up to about 12 mm) and build gravel-covered mounds with visible entry holes. Fire ant mounds have no holes on top because the ants use underground tunnels.

The only way to be sure is to have suspected ants checked by the Program, which is why reporting matters more than a confident identification.

What you may be seeing

  • Mounds of loose, crumbly soil, flat or dome-shaped, up to about 40 cm high, in lawns, garden beds, verges or paddocks.
  • No visible entry holes on top of the mound.
  • Ants of several sizes, coppery-brown with a darker abdomen.
  • Ants swarming quickly up objects when the mound is disturbed.
  • Mounds appearing after rain, when they are easiest to spot.

What you can do

  • Keep people and pets away from the mound.
  • Take a clear photo from a safe distance, including something for scale.
  • Note the exact location.
  • Report it to the National Fire Ant Eradication Program online or by phone. See what to do if you find fire ants.

What not to do

  • Do not poke, dig or kick the mound to get a better look.
  • Do not spray or pour anything on the nest.
Safety first

Fire ant rules, biosecurity zones and reporting details are set by the National Fire Ant Eradication Program and can change. Check the Program’s website for current requirements before acting.

When professional help may be needed

Identification and treatment of suspected fire ants is handled by the National Fire Ant Eradication Program, not by general pest control. Report suspected fire ants to the Program first.

Ants

Social insects that live in colonies and follow scent trails to food and water. Most ant problems in homes are nuisance foraging trails from colonies outside the house.

Species mentioned

Red Imported Fire Ant

Solenopsis invicta

An invasive South American ant first found in Brisbane in 2001 and now the target of a national eradication program. It builds loose soil mounds in open areas, swarms when disturbed and stings repeatedly. Suspected fire ants must be reported, not treated.

Coastal Brown Ant

Pheidole megacephala

An introduced, light-brown ant that forms huge multi-queen colonies and leaves piles of loose soil between pavers and along slab edges. One of the most common nuisance ants in Queensland.

Guide

Fire Ants in South East Queensland

How to recognise red imported fire ants, what to do if you find them or are stung, how the National Fire Ant Eradication Program works, and what the biosecurity rules mean for households in South East Queensland.

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Sources & further reading

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