Browsing ant
Browsing ant originates from Southern Europe and can be extremely invasive, having proven a willing traveller, hitchhiking in freight and cargo. To date, all known infestations have been eradicated, but we need help in reporting any suspicious ants.
Browsing ant originates from Southern Europe and can be extremely invasive, having proven a willing traveller, hitchhiking in freight and cargo. The browsing ant has previously been found by the department at Perth Airport and several suburbs and commercial hubs in metropolitan Perth. To date, all known infestations have been eradicated, but we need your help in reporting any suspicious ants so that we can keep these invasive pests from establishing in Western Australia.
Report
Report any suspicious ants via our free MyPestGuide Reporter app, or online tool at dpird.wa.gov.au, or contact our Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS) on 08 9368 3080 or email padis@dpird.wa.gov.au.
Browsing ant
Browsing ants (Lepisiota frauenfeldi) are a slender, shiny, dark brown ant about 3 to 4 mm in length, with long antennae and legs. They run in a haphazard manner when disturbed.
Impact in Western Australia
The browsing ant can:
- establish multi-queened super colonies and quickly reach large populations
- displace important native ant species’ and potentially outcompete and kill them by monopolising food and nesting resources
- farm and protect sap-sucking insects, such as scale, aphids, and mealybug, which can eventually kill the plants they feed on, severely impacting our horticultural industry
- become a significant household pest as it forages indoors for food, although it is not harmful to people or pets.
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Browsing ant surveillance brochurepdf (2.72 MB)
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Invasive ant pests flyerpdf (1.06 MB)