Red imported fire ant response gathers speed
Helicopter used for aerial application
of baits in December 2006.
The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta, fire ant) eradication programme is in the middle of the busy season. While no further sightings have been made in the area since the initial discovery of a single nest in the grounds of the Pan Pac Forest Products plant at Whirinaki in June 2006, Biosecurity New Zealand (BNZ) is maintaining an active surveillance programme.
In order to better understand community knowledge of the wide range of problems fire ants bring, BNZ has been conducting research outside the initial Whirinaki surveillance zone, to include the Bayview and Eskdale areas. Results show the Whirinaki community is well aware of the problems associated with fire ants, describing themselves as 'swamped' with information and Bayview and Eskdale residents have indicated their willingness to participate more fully in the eradication programme.
BNZ will now focus on making information available to residents in these bordering areas. This will include an education programme at local schools so pupils know how to recognise and identify the ants, and deal with the dangers they present.
Fire ants prefer to make their nests in areas of open ground, which increases the likelihood of them coming into contact with people during outdoor recreation and community activities, such as school pupils, grounds people, gardeners, seasonal workers and people playing sport.
School pupils are also able to inform and influence their families, so the message is spread more widely.
Out in the field, it has been business as usual. Spring surveillance started in late October 2006 using protein and sugar baits. This was followed up by insecticidal ant baits applied in December. A further round of surveillance and bait application is scheduled for March and April 2007. Public notices have been issued to notify residents about aerial baiting of four inaccessible properties in mid March.
A restricted zone, extending two kilometres out from the original nest site, remains in place to reduce the inadvertent spread of potential fire ant colonies via contaminated material. As at 22 February 2007, Biosecurity New Zealand contractor AgriQuality had issued 339 permits to safely move risk items within, or out of the restricted zone.
Other strategies put in place include a project designed to trace risk movements of goods in and out of the controlled area (since January 2003), which will help identify where the nest may have arisen from, and where it may have dispersed to.
Fire ants located on yacht
Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta, fire ants) were located on board a yacht moored at Westhaven Marina in Auckland.
Care for a drink? Fire ants detected
aboard the yacht take the poisoned bait.
Biosecurity New Zealand (BNZ) Senior Adviser Megan Sarty says the 70-foot yacht had travelled through the Caribbean on the way here and it was likely the fire ants hitched a ride from there.
"The owner, who first noticed the fire ants on 4 February, did the right thing by contacting a pest control company who then contacted Biosecurity New Zealand."
Ms Sarty says BNZ responded immediately and treated the yacht with baits and insecticidal spray. Monitoring for ant activity will continue onboard until BNZ is confident there are no more fire ants present.
"While a full nest analysis is yet to be completed, initial indications are that a single, small nest is involved."
She says the owner has acted responsibly.
"The owner has assisted with treating the nest and is co-operating with a BNZ Restricted Place notice served on Friday 16 February 2007. This will remain in place until onboard treatments are complete."
At the time Biosecurity went to press no further fire ants had been discovered on the yacht, but surveillance and monitoring continue.
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Page last updated: 13 June 2008