Tropical fire ant

Tropical fire ant

Tropical fire ants can form super-colonies, displacing native ants, insects and animals and feed on any plant or animal matter from seeds to small mammals and birds. 

They are highly aggressive ants with a painful sting and disturbing a nest can quickly result in dozens of stings. 

What to look for 

• Shiny brown-orange body with a range of sizes (2 to 8 mm). 
• Some ‘major’ (larger) ants have an oversized square head.  
• Forming large colonies, often presenting as sandy mounds. 

Where to look 

• Nests in sand, lawns, parklands and disturbed areas, mostly in sunny places.
• In plant materials or soil from gardens, nurseries or agricultural land.