Yellow Crazy Ant Community Taskforce April 2021 Update

Wet Tropics Management Authority’s field teams have started surveying properties for yellow crazy ants at the Russett Park infestation area. Nine properties have been surveyed so far for April 2021 and one of the nine properties detected the presence of yellow crazy ants. Surveys searching for yellow crazy ants will continue in the area until the whole infestation area is complete. The positive detections will be spot treated with the ant insecticide fipronil.  The eradication program will spot treat yellow crazy ants when they’re detected after a survey. This will continue until consecutive surveys detect no yellow crazy ants over a period of time.

On 14 April, Taskforce volunteer Tim Brown, myself and Mike Greasley from Biosecurity Queensland’s National Electric Ant Eradication Program, delivered a presentation about yellow crazy ants and electric ants to Cairns Regional Council’s Green Space Our Place volunteers.

The presentations took place at the Cairns Botanical Gardens’ Visitor Centre. Twenty-one Green Space Our Place volunteers attended. Volunteers learnt about the two different invasive ants, their impacts, how to recognise each ant species and how to report a sighting. During the break, Taskforce volunteer Tim Brown demonstrated to the group how we survey for invasive ants and volunteers participated in a survey by placing lures and flags in gardens nearby. The lures were later checked for yellow crazy ants and electric ants and some ant specimens were taken for identification.

The presentations were well received with some volunteers signing up for free back yard checks. People also asked about joining the Taskforce.

Thank you Cairns Regional Council Green Space Our Place Volunteer Program for giving us the opportunity to inform volunteers who have their eyes on the ground.

On 28 April, the Authority’s Yellow Crazy Ant Eradication Program manager Lucy Karger and sugarcane liaison officer Wesley Moller joined Biosecurity Queensland’s community engagement officer Mike Greasley and myself to meet with works manager Andrew Foster and land protection officer Sid Clayton from Mareeba Shire Council.

The meeting was a follow up from our yellow crazy and electric ant presentation we delivered in early March, where we invited the council to collaborate with us to eradicate yellow crazy and electric ants from the Mareeba local government area.

The meeting was productive with funding support and staff training, starting with invasive ant identification to be delivered to the council’s field staff from July.

No new properties were surveyed on Green Forest Road for the month of April 2021. Extended surveys search for yellow crazy ants outside known infestation areas. Five properties at Green Forest Road have been surveyed since February 1, 2021 and no yellow crazy ants have been detected. Extended surveys at Green Forest and Oak Forest Roads are ongoing.

Volunteer and join the Taskforce or stay informed about yellow crazy ants.

The Wet Tropics Management Authority and Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils are hosting a Yellow Crazy Ant Taskforce on 17-21 May 2021.

The 2021 taskforce will survey for yellow crazy ants in sugarcane farming areas in the Cairns district that have previously received minimal survey effort. The work of the taskforce this year is vital to provide a high level of confidence that all YCA infestations in the district have been identified. We have a lot of ground to cover. To do it we need as many people as possible this year.

The Yellow Crazy Ant Community Taskforce will host an information stall at this year’s Rotary FNQ Field Days at Kerribee Park Rodeo Grounds, Mareeba on 26, 27 & 28 May 2021. Taskforce volunteers are welcome to join me in talking with visitors about yellow crazy ants at our stall. Volunteers get free entry and time to visit the exhibition sites while we are there. Car-pooling can be arranged.

Kuranda Envirocare are hosting a ‘What’s in my backyard’ workshop on 29 May at the Kuranda Recreation Centre, Fallon Road Kuranda. A yellow crazy ant and electric ant presentation will be delivered from 1pm – 2pm.  Taskforce volunteers to are welcome to join and participate with the presentations.