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What Should I Do If I Find Fire Ants?

Written by PestMan Editorial TeamTechnical review pendingPublished Updated

Quick answer

Don’t disturb or treat the nest. Keep people and pets away, take a photo from a safe distance if you can, note the exact location, and report it to the National Fire Ant Eradication Program online or by phone. In Queensland, suspected fire ants must be reported promptly. The Program asks for reports within 24 hours; check its website for current details.

Why this happens

Red imported fire ants are an invasive species under a national eradication effort. Every report helps the Program find and treat nests before they spread further.

Disturbing or spraying a nest can cause the colony to move or split, which makes it harder to find and eradicate, and it puts you at risk of multiple stings.

Reporting is also a legal obligation in Queensland. Everyone has a responsibility to report suspected fire ants, not only landowners and businesses.

What you can do

  • Move children and pets away and keep them away from the area.
  • Take a clear photo from a safe distance if you can do so without disturbing the nest.
  • Record the address or GPS location, and where on the property the nest is.
  • Report it through the National Fire Ant Eradication Program website (fireants.org.au) or by calling 13 25 23.
  • Follow any instructions the Program gives you. Some areas have specific arrangements for treatment, so wait for advice.

What not to do

  • Do not dig, poke, mow over or move the mound.
  • Do not spray insecticide, or pour boiling water, petrol or chemicals on the nest.
  • Do not move soil, mulch, turf or plants from the area until you have checked the rules. See moving soil or mulch in a fire ant zone.
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

Report to the National Fire Ant Eradication Program rather than a general pest controller. The Program confirms identification and arranges treatment. If someone has been stung and has any sign of an allergic reaction, call 000.

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.

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.

Guide

How to Pest-Proof Your Home

A practical, room-by-room approach to reducing pests without relying on chemicals: remove what attracts them, close the ways in, and make your property less comfortable for them.

Guide

Common Brisbane Household Pests

A Brisbane-specific overview of the pests residents meet most often, when they are active, and what the subtropical climate, storms, creeks and Queenslander homes mean for pest pressure.

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Sources & further reading

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