Argentine ant investigations under way

A bait to control Argentine ant is being trialed at two sites, while a national survey is carried out to see how far the ant has spread. It will be several months before the effectiveness of the bait is known.

MAF Biosecurity is coordinating a series of investigations to look at control methods for Argentine ant in New Zealand.

A national survey to determine the geographical distribution of Argentine ant started in March, with the final report expected at the end of June. HortResearch and AgriQuality New Zealand Limited are carrying this out.

Two trials to assess the new bait, with the active ingredient Fipronil, under New Zealand conditions have begun. The first baiting session on Tiritiri Matangi island in the Hauraki Gulf occurred in early February. Chris Green of the Department of Conservation (DoC) and Richard Harris of Landcare New Zealand Limited led the trial, with the help of volunteers from Landcare, DoC, Environment Bay of Plenty, Flybusters Pest Control, the Forest and Bird Protection Society and Argentine ant investigations under way MAF. Since then, there has been a significant decrease in ant activity but it will take several months of monitoring before the effectiveness of the bait as an eradication tool can be quantified.

From left: Amelia Pascoe (MAF Biosecurity), Karli Thomas (Forest & Bird) and Rachel Garthwaite (DoC) armed and ready for action on Tiritiri Matangi Island during the trial Argentine ant eradication programme.

Environment Bay of Plenty is trialing the bait in an urban environment. The trial included the ant infestation at the Port of Tauranga, Mt Maunganui, and follows two intensive surveys to determine the level of infestation in the area. The treated sites will be monitored over the next month to assess how well the bait worked.

Further investigations may be done into the effects of the ant's seasonal food preferences on use of the bait.

Management options for control and treatment can be considered once the current national distribution of Argentine ant is known, and the available tools to control the ant have been evaluated.

Amelia Pascoe,
Programme Coordinator (Exotic Animals Response)

Page last updated: 7 August 2008