Fire Ants in South East Queensland

Before you start: check the current rules

Fire ant management in Australia is led by the National Fire Ant Eradication Program. Biosecurity zones, reporting requirements, movement controls and treatment arrangements are updated as the eradication effort changes. This guide explains the basics in plain English; for the current rules, maps and reporting options, always check the Program’s website (fireants.org.au) or call 13 25 23.

What fire ants are

The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) is native to South America and has become a serious invasive pest in several countries. It was first detected in Brisbane in 2001, and since then has been found across parts of South East Queensland. Detections have also occurred in northern New South Wales.

Fire ants matter because of their numbers, aggression and impact. Colonies can contain hundreds of thousands of ants. They sting people and animals repeatedly, harm native wildlife and livestock, damage crops and electrical equipment, and can make lawns, parks and backyards hard to use. That is why Australia is attempting to eradicate them rather than simply control them.

How to recognise fire ants

The ants

• Small, about 2–6 mm, with workers of different sizes in the same nest.
• Coppery-brown head and body, with a darker brown to black abdomen.
• Fast and aggressive when disturbed, running up anything touching the nest.

The nests

• Mounds of loose, crumbly, "fluffy" soil, flat or dome-shaped, up to about 40 cm high.
• No obvious entry or exit holes on top; the ants use tunnels underground.
• In open, sunny places: lawns, parks, garden beds, verges, paddocks, and against paths, foundations and driveways. Nests can also sit under pavers, rocks and logs, or in pot plants.
• Most noticeable after rain, when colonies rebuild mounds.

More detail: how to identify fire ants.

Common look-alikes

Many ants in SEQ are mistaken for fire ants. Compare the clues, but report anyway if you’re unsure; the Program would rather check a false alarm than miss a nest.

• Coastal brown ant: very common in Brisbane. Leaves small piles of loose soil between pavers and along slab edges rather than large raised mounds. Two clearly different worker sizes, with "soldiers" that have very large heads. See coastal brown ant.
• Meat ants: native, much larger (up to about 12 mm), reddish with a dark abdomen. They build large mounds covered in gravel with obvious entry holes, and run in trails between nests.
• Black house ants and ghost ants: small ants that trail indoors to food and water. They don’t build raised mounds in lawns.

If you find suspected fire ants

• Keep people and pets away.
• Don’t disturb, dig, mow over or treat the nest.
• Take a photo from a safe distance if you can, and note the exact location.
• Report it to the Program online at fireants.org.au or by calling 13 25 23.

In Queensland, reporting suspected fire ants is a legal obligation for everyone, and the Program asks for reports within 24 hours. Disturbing a nest can make the colony move or split, which makes eradication harder. See what to do if you find fire ants.

Stings and first aid

Fire ants grip the skin and sting repeatedly, and many ants often sting at once. Stings cause a burning pain, followed by itchy swelling and, within about a day, small white pustules.

• Move away from the nest and brush the ants off firmly.
• Wash the area and apply a cold compress.
• Ask a pharmacist or doctor about antihistamines or pain relief.
• Don’t burst the pustules; keep them clean to avoid infection.

Call 000 immediately for difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips or throat, dizziness or collapse. See fire ant sting first aid.

How the eradication program works

The National Fire Ant Eradication Program is jointly funded by Australian governments. Its work includes:

• Surveillance: searching for nests, including with detection dogs and remote sensing, and responding to public reports.
• Treatment: applying specialised baits that foraging ants carry back to the colony, repeated over time. Some baits stop queens producing workers; others kill colonies directly. Individual nests may also be treated directly.
• Movement controls: rules on moving materials that can carry fire ants within and out of biosecurity zones.
• Community engagement: helping residents, schools, businesses and industries recognise and report fire ants.

Public reports are one of the Program’s most important sources of new detections, which is why every suspected nest is worth reporting.

Can residents treat fire ants?

Always report first. Surface sprays and home remedies such as boiling water or petrol don’t kill the colony and can spread it. In some areas the Program has supported residents to treat their own properties with approved baits and clear instructions, but eligibility, products and methods change. Ask the Program before treating anything, and if you are permitted to treat, follow its instructions and the product label exactly. See can I treat fire ants myself.

Moving soil, mulch, turf and plants

Fire ants spread most over long distances when people move infested materials. Within fire ant biosecurity zones, there are rules about moving materials that can carry fire ants, and they can apply to households as well as businesses. Materials of concern include:

• soil, fill, sand and gravel;
• mulch, compost and manure;
• turf, hay and straw;
• potted plants and landscaping supplies;
• machinery and equipment used to move soil.

Before moving any of these, check whether your property is in a zone and what the current requirements are. When buying landscaping materials in SEQ, ask suppliers how they meet fire ant requirements. See moving soil or mulch in a fire ant zone.

Checking your property

A quick look every few weeks, and especially after rain, helps catch nests early:

• Walk the lawn, garden beds, fence lines and edges of paths and driveways.
• Look for new mounds of loose soil without holes on top.
• Check around pot plants, sandpits, play equipment and pet areas.
• Check areas where soil, mulch or turf has recently been delivered or laid.
• Report anything suspicious rather than testing it with a stick or your foot.

Pets, livestock and wildlife

Fire ants attack animals that disturb a nest, and animals often can’t escape as quickly as people. Dogs that dig or lie on mounds, puppies, older pets and animals that are tied up or penned are most at risk. Signs of stings include sudden yelping, licking or chewing at paws, and small red bumps or pustules on the belly and legs.

• Check yards, dog runs and paddocks for mounds, especially after rain.
• Don’t tether animals or leave water and food bowls near suspected nests.
• If a pet is stung many times or shows swelling of the face, vomiting, weakness or difficulty breathing, contact a vet immediately.

Fire ants also harm native wildlife, ground-nesting birds and newborn livestock, which is one reason eradication matters well beyond suburban backyards.

What happens after you report

Reports are assessed by the Program. Depending on what you report and where, you may be asked for photos or a sample, or an officer may visit to confirm whether the ants are fire ants. If they are, the Program arranges treatment of the nest and may survey and treat surrounding properties. Treatment of confirmed infestations is generally carried out or directed by the Program, so you shouldn’t need to pay a pest controller to deal with a confirmed nest.

While you wait, keep people and pets away from the nest and don’t disturb it. Leave it in place so it can be found and confirmed. Processes change over time, so follow the current guidance on fireants.org.au.

Schools, sporting fields and businesses

Fire ants favour open, sunny, disturbed ground, which makes school ovals, sporting fields, parks, building sites, nurseries and landscape yards common places to find them. Groundskeepers, landscapers, builders and nursery staff are often the first to notice nests.

Businesses that produce, move or sell materials that can carry fire ants, such as soil, mulch, turf, hay and potted plants, may have specific legal obligations within fire ant biosecurity zones. If you run or work in one of these businesses, check the current requirements with the Program and with Biosecurity Queensland.

Common myths

• “Boiling water will kill the nest.” It may kill some surface ants, but the queens are usually deep underground and the colony can survive, move or split.
• “Any small red ant is a fire ant.” Many native ants are red or reddish-brown. Size variation within a nest and the dome-shaped mound without a central hole are more useful clues, and a report confirms it either way.
• “They’re only a problem in the bush.” Fire ants do well in suburban lawns, parks and new estates.
• “It isn’t worth reporting one nest.” Single nests found by the public have led to the discovery of new infestations. Every report helps.

Most ants are not fire ants

Most ant problems in Brisbane homes are caused by common nuisance species such as coastal brown ants, ghost ants and black house ants, which are managed with hygiene, sealing and baits. For those, see ants in Brisbane and why you suddenly have ants. If you are unsure whether you have fire ants, report them anyway.

Answers related to this guide

• How Do I Identify Fire Ants?
• What Should I Do If I Find Fire Ants?
• Can I Treat Fire Ants Myself?
• What Should I Do If I’m Stung by Fire Ants?
• Can I Move Soil, Mulch or Turf in a Fire Ant Zone?
• Why Do I Suddenly Have Ants?

Local information

• Ants in Brisbane
• Common Pests in Brisbane
• Pests in Queensland

Pests in this guide