Yellow Crazy Ant

NSW DPI, Local Land Services and Council identified strategic areas to treat the ant colony using the following methods:

• Ground searching
• Educating the community to check for and report suspicious ants. Avoiding the further spread (eg. by moving soil) is essential.

• In order to effectively eradicate the ant, NSW DPI and its partners applied bait in and around the Lismore CBD and directly treated known nests and immediate area around the nest.
• Care was taken to ensure best practice application of the baits, following conditions approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.
• Expert advice was also sought from Biosecurity Queensland who have extensive experience in applying ant baits.
• The best method for destroying YCA colonies is by using the broad-spectrum Granular insecticide, Fipronil.  This is more commonly used on ants including Yellow Crazy Ant.
• The team applying the baits generally targeted vegetated areas so the baits would not be washed away. Hard surfaced areas were avoided however the baits were applied to surfaces where there were cracks that contain ed the product and prevented it from being washed away.

Fipronil is specifically designed to target invertebrate animals (animals without backbones)  This product has been tested extensively and there is no evidence that Fipronil is harmful to humans.

The application method used, and the low-strength formulation chosen, present very low risk to non-target species.

Fipronil is not well absorbed by plants and is broken down by sunlight.

As part of the permit conditions the baits were not be placed near waterways or storm water drains.

The yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) is a highly invasive exotic pest that can build super colonies and seriously impact local fauna, agricultural production and ecosystems.

Unchecked, it poses a serious economic and environmental threat, so it is important that we prevent it taking hold in NSW.

Yellow crazy ants were found at various sites in Lismore CBD in May 2018. Ongoing surveillance by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services identified several smaller infestations in outlying areas which were treated.

NSW Department of Primary Industries undertook a targeted luring and baiting program to eradicate the ants, with follow up treatments to ensure all ants were removed. For more information, please visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/yca.

The exact source of the infestation is speculative and we may never know how yellow crazy ant came to Lismore.

Yellow crazy ant tends to walk rather than fly and are generally very slow in expanding their range by themselves.

However, they can hitchhike in organic materials, or on people’s belongings, resulting in the infestation spreading. This is why it is critical for people to be aware and check for yellow crazy ant before moving equipment and materials.

When they achieve great enough numbers they are known to kill small animals. Although they do not sting, they squirt formic acid into the eyes of the prey which blinds the animal and they starve. The ants also tend to sap sucking insects which impact vegetation. This can change the composition of the vegetation in native forests.

The Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services surveillance plan had several elements:

• Responding to community reports to identify suspect YCA,
• Inspection and monitoring of high risk businesses,
• Inspection of properties in key areas upstream of Lismore and in flood deposition areas downstream of Lismore.
• Strategic sampling and luring program within 10km of Lismore

You can help stop the spread of yellow crazy ant by:

• Regularly inspect your property for any sign of ants or nests.
• Do not disturb the ants or nests or try to treat the infestation yourself as the ants will likely move location.
• Report suspicious sightings immediately even if you are unsure or think we may already know about the infestation.

The ant nests are not obvious and are therefore hard to spot.  As such, we do not have pictures of the ant nests but the best place to look for Yellow Crazy Ant is on the trunks of trees because they harvest sap sucking insects in the trees.

The Yellow Crazy Ant can be identified as follows:

• Yellow to brownish ant with body about 5mm long.
• Abdomen is dark brown, sometimes striped.
• Legs and antennae are very long.
• Body is long and slender.
• Walking style is erratic.
• May spray formic acid when disturbed

Online: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/antreport

Phone: Biosecurity Hotline 1800 680 244

In Person: To Local Lands Services

A sample or photo of the ant will help with identification.

Movement restrictions were in place, preventing the carrying of vegetative matter and soil within a 5km radius of the Lismore CBD. These movement restrictions were removed in December 2019 following a review of the risk.