Beware the garden nasties

Invasive species can thrive in the tropics

FAR Northern gardeners have been warned their slice of tropical paradise can be a breeding ground for invasive species.

Wet Tropics Management Authority executive director Scott Buchanan said the wet tropical climate of the Far North made it easy for dangerous plants to grow and spread.

“It’s important with gardening to do your best to think about what plants aren’t going to become a pest down the track,” he said.

The authority has been at the forefront of work to eradicate electric ants and yellow crazy ants from the region.

“Funding for the Yellow Crazy Ant Eradication Program runs out June 2019, so we’re talking to state and federal governments to make sure funding continues for a very successful program,” Mr Buchanan said.

Invasive Species Council spokesman Tim Low has seen a number of eradication efforts fall short of the mark.

“If it takes 20 years of com- mitment to eradicate a pest and every year there’s a new budget, governments regularly changing, it becomes a hopeless case,” he said.

Mr Low said pest eradication took time and budgetary commitment that State Government programs were often unable to keep up with.

“The Asian honey bee was a very lean operation and they spread a fair way south of Cairns,” he said.

“The Queensland Government put a lot of resources into eradicating siam weed but failed because the spread of seeds via wind and birds made it difficult.

“However some projects like electric ant eradication and giant African snails have proved fairly successful.”

The Kuranda Conservation Community Nursery have put together a list of native plants that can be used in gardening as an alternative to foreign, potentially invasive plants. Visit http://www.kurandaconservation.org/plant-me-instead/ If you have concerns about a plant on your property or want to report an invasive species, contact Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.

HONEY BEE The Asian honey bee is a natural host for varroa mites and a vector for pests. The diseases they carry can spread to native bees, making them highly destructive. SIAM WEED Considered one of the world’s worst invasive weeds, siam weed thrives in wet, tropical environments, making the Far North a prime area. PEST: A colony of electric ants found at Trinity Beach. COFFEE The coffee arabica plant thrives in shade and can overwhelm native bush if left alone. The seeds are eaten and spread by bird excrement. AFRICAN TULIP They may look pretty, but the African tulip tree is toxic to native bees, and can overwhelm rainforest. African tulip trees are popular ornamental trees. CRAZY ANTS Yellow crazy ants, named for their erratic movement, were first discovered infesting Cairns in 2001 and have been a consistent threat.