Fire ant authorities are conducting compliance checks and tracing materials on the southern Gold Coast following the discovery of fire ants.
The nest was detected in Bilinga for the first time last week and was quickly destroyed by the National Fire Ant Eradication Program.
Authorities say eradication activities, including intensive treatment and surveillance, will begin up to 500m from the detection site to protect the area and ensure no undetected fire ants remain.
However, residents and businesses in Bilinga on the Gold Coast, are being told to be on the lookout for the pests.
Given the detection’s proximity to the border, the NSW Government has issued a Biosecurity Emergency Order, which places conditions on carrier materials.
“Compliance checks and tracing of materials that can carry fire ants in Bilinga and surrounding areas will help determine the source of the ants,” a spokesperson for the National Fire Ant Eradication program said.
“Residents and businesses are encouraged to immediately check their properties and local area for suspect ants or nests”.
Fire ants are copper brown in colour and have a darker abdomen. They measure 2-6 mm in length, with a variety of sizes found in each nest. Fire ant nests appear as mounds or patches of loose soil, with no clear entry or exit holes.
Fire ants can hitch rides in materials that can carry fire ants, such as soil, hay, mulch, manure, quarry materials, turf, and potted plants. Human-assisted movement is the biggest risk to their spread.
