Get lowdown on defeating yellow crazy ants
SUGARCANE farmers south of Cairns will be given an insight into how to protect their crops against the spread of yellow crazy ants with a series of field sessions this month.
Yellow crazy ants are listed as one of the world’s 100 worst invasive species and have infested more than 1400ha in the Wet Tropics region.
About 40 per cent (592ha) of the infestation affects sugarcane farms south of Cairns around Edmonton, Bentley Park, Sawmill Pocket (Mount Peter) and Gordonvale.
Crops are susceptible to the ants’ husbandry of sugarcane pests such as scale insects, whitefly and aphids, and excess honeydew from large numbers of these insects can cause sooty mould and mildews, damaging crops.
The Wet Tropics Management Authority’s Yellow Crazy Ant Eradication Program will hold field sessions on April 19 and 20 at Edmonton to assist farmers and farm workers to identify and report the pest and share techniques to prevent its spread.
Project manager Lucy Karger said recent successful local eradications in the region were encouraging, but emphasised the need for ongoing vigilance.
“We have recently declared two local eradications and another site is on track to be eradicated later this year, so we know the treatment program is working,” she said.
“However, with increased vigilance and greater public awareness of yellow crazy ants we are finding other areas of infestation, the majority of which are found in sugarcane areas on the southern edge of the Wet Tropics infestation.’
MSF Sugar’s Mulgrave Mill cane supply field officer Matt Hession encouraged farmers to attend the upcoming field sessions.
“Having seen first-hand how invasive these ants are on a number of farms now, it’s an image that is difficult to forget,” he said.
Field sessions will run on April 19 from 10-11am, then 2.30pm-3.30pm, and April 20 from 2.30pm-3.30pm.
HAVING SEEN FIRST-HAND HOW INVASIVE THESE ANTS ARE ON A NUMBER OF FARMS NOW, IT’S AN IMAGE THAT IS DIFFICULT TO FORGET MATT HESSION, MSF SUGAR FIELD OFFICER