Battle with crazy ants intensifies
THE fight against one of the country’s most insidious biosecurity pests, the yellow crazy ant, has intensified with the Townsville City Council waging war against the vicious creatures.
Townsville Deputy Mayor Les Walker said treatments around the first site identified with yellow crazy ants in Townsville were going well.
“Council crews have completed three aerial treatments around the first site in Nome, where the Yellow Crazy Ants were identified,” Cr Walker said.
“The area was surveyed after the aerial treatments and no yellow crazy ants were found.”
Cr Walker said the council was now working at another site in the Nome area.
“Council has started treating a second site in the Nome residential area,” he said. “The program is about 60 per cent complete and it has caused a major reduction in yellow crazy ants in the area.”
Cr Walker said the council would continue with its yellow crazy ant treatment program.
“Council crews are working with a local volunteer task- force to survey the Nome area for yellow crazy ants and treat areas that continue to be affected,” he said.
The flora and fauna- destroying yellow crazy ants are known to build super colonies with several queens which can expand rapidly and in some case double in size in just 12 months.
The ant uses a formic acid to overpower and destroy prey quickly.
Burdekin MP Dale Last, whose electorate covers Nome, said he was pleased the baiting program was continuing.
“It’s great to see the positive results from the baiting program,” Mr Last said.
“This is a high priority for the area given the damage the ants can do to flora and fauna.
“I have inspected some of the affected areas and to see those vicious creatures in action, seeing what damage they cause, is devastating.
“The damage these ants cause can’t be underestimated. It’s horrifying.”
Mr Last has urged residents to remain vigilant about any suspected yellow crazy ant infestation and report any sightings to the Townsville City Council.