Blitz Results

A large scale surveillance blitz to detect electric ants took place on the 18th and 19th January 2020 along the streets of Kuranda. The blitz was led by the National Electric Ant Eradication Program (NEAEP) and the Yellow Crazy Ant Community Taskforce assisted and searched for yellow crazy ants as well. Sausage and a cat-food-jam mix was used to lure the ants and all samples were collected along nature strips.

To date, only one street is left to be processed and all other samples have been identified by the NEAEP. The blitz detected zero yellow crazy ants and two new infestations of electric ants and a third infestation of electric ants was detected from a public booked free backyard check. This is a great indicator the weekend blitz was a success and Kuranda is a hotspot for electric ants.

The results of the blitz reinforce how important it is for people in Kuranda to get their backyards checked and to check any pot plants before they are swapped or moved from your property to potentially infest someone else’s backyard. Let’s continue to be electric ant aware, call 13 25 23 for a free backyard check.

The Green Forest yellow crazy ant infestation area received its third treatment by hand using insecticide Fipronil on the 13th January 2020. With the help of landholders, all of the infestation area was treated except for a horse paddock at the request of the owner.

The weather on the day was dry and good for treatment. Post treatment, yellow crazy ants were still found in the area. Seeing ants after treatment is normal and was expected given the high concentration of ants that were originally detected in February 2019.

The monitoring team from YCA Eradication Program continue to keep a close eye on the site with eradication on track for Green Forest.

A new infestation of yellow crazy ants was discovered at Henleys Hill Park in Earlville on Friday 21 February. The ants were detected by the Wet Tropics Management Authority’s new apprentice odour detection dog Fury and handler Stuart Biggs (pictured below). The find was a result of Fury’s training in the dog park where she indicated for yellow crazy ants under a tree outside her exercise area.

The Authority’s Yellow Crazy Ant Eradication Program and Cairns Regional Council are working together to survey and map the extent of the infestation as soon as suitable weather allows.

The size of the infestation is still being determined. Henley’s Hill is public land surrounded by private properties. The size and density of the infestation indicate yellow crazy ants have been there for a few years at least with the initial treatment to take place as soon as possible. The find could not come at a better time as the program continues its search for yellow crazy ants in and around the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.

The Yellow Crazy Ant Eradication Program’s Field Operations team met with the Djabugay Bulmba Rangers on the 26th February for a rundown on ant identification, trap setting, GPS training and field surveys using sticky traps.

The training helped broaden the skillset of the rangers in searching and recognising yellow crazy ants in the field, and helped strengthen our partnership. It’s always a pleasure to work with our local Djabugay Bulmba Rangers.

Fifty t-shirts on order with our supplier where printing is sourced in China has stalled due to the coronavirus and unfortunately, the t-shirts won’t be delivered in time for our next event.

The t-shirt raffle will be drawn on the 11th March 5:45 pm at JCU TESS Seminar, Crowther Theatre A3-003. The draw coincides with JCU TESS Seminar and Yellow Crazy Ant Community Taskforce co-hosted event (see below). No tickets will be sold at the seminar for the raffle draw. Seven draws are up for grabs with five trips for two to the reef with Compass Cruises, a reef and SNUBA experience with Reef Magic for two people and a four-bottle wine package from Mad Fish. Please get in touch if you would like a ticket for the raffle.