The Whitsunday region currently has five known infestations of Yellow Crazy Ants and effective measures are being taken by Council to keep these pesty protein-loving pests under control.
Known to swarm en-masse, these orange-coloured ants are slightly smaller than the common green ant, but a lot more formidable.
Scott Hardy, Manager Natural Resource Management and Climate for Whitsunday Regional Council said Yellow Crazy Ants are known to have eaten anything that moves – from other ants to frogs, lizards and potentially even us.
“We’re on the menu!” said Scott jokingly.
The five infestations are located in Hamilton Island, Woodwark, Mandalay, Funnel Bay and Shute Harbour, covering a total of 58 hectares.
The first site was discovered in 2019 at Shute Harbour, but with dedicated eradication efforts, 80 per cent of the ant population has been eliminated.
Last month, Council used drones to drop baits across all areas, this new method promising to tackle previously unreachable nests.
It is believed the Yellow Crazy Ants are arriving in our region in large trucks transporting building supplies.
They are likely coming from Townsville where there is an infestation that stretches over 2000 hectares.
Council have put out the following advice to local residents:
1: If you are constructing a new home, ask your builder whether they’ve had the building materials checked for Yellow Crazy Ants.
2: If you are getting your property sprayed by a pest contractor, make sure they inspect for the presence of Yellow Crazy Ants.
3: If you see an unusual orange ant, slightly smaller than a green ant, please report to Council to get it identified.
