Fire Ant Senate Inquiry Sparks Hope for Change

The proliferation of red imported fire ants (RIFA) poses a significant threat to Australia’s agricultural, environmental, and social landscapes. Despite ongoing efforts by the National Fire Ant Eradication Program and pest management professionals, a combination of management issues and the current methods employed in fire ant control have proven inadequate in curbing the spread of these invasive pests.

The recent Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport (RRAT) Committee Senate hearings in March 2024 on fire ants are proof that awareness and concern is growing amongst the public and government about this destructive invasive species.

The RRAT hearings were held to seek feedback from any stakeholders associated with red imported fire ants in relation to costs, impacts, assessment of current and proposed plans, and to evaluate the effectiveness of funding provided to date.

David Priddy, CEO of Sundew Solutions, was the only representative from the professional pest management industry to attend all three Senate Inquiry Hearings held in Brisbane, Newcastle and Parliament House Canberra during March 2024. While not originally planning to submit evidence at the inquiries, on day two of the hearings in Newcastle the senators invited Mr Priddy to speak.

“Senator Glenn Sterle introduced himself to me in Newcastle and was shocked to learn that Sundew Solutions – a business heavily invested in local research that holds a number of APVMA-approved products for fire ants – hadn’t been informed about the senate inquiry,” explained Mr Priddy. “On learning this, the senate hearings were adjusted in order to allocate time for me to provide valuable evidence regarding the limitations and failings of the current fire ant program.”

To address the shortcomings of the National Fire Ant Eradication Program and combat the escalating problem, Mr Priddy proposed the following four action points in official Sundew Solutions submission documents on record:

Holistic approach: Embrace a holistic approach to fire ant control, involving public participation, professional pest management, and the National Fire Ant Program. Access to treatment methods should be inclusive and readily available to all stakeholders.

Efficient treatment methods: Adopt labour-efficient, time-efficient, and cost-effective treatment methods, such as Sundew’s Rapid Response Large Area Treatment. By streamlining the control process, resources can be optimised to tackle large-scale infestations.

Regulatory flexibility: Enhance regulatory flexibility to accommodate innovative solutions that are proven effective and safe. Expanding the list of approved products to include scientifically validated alternatives can significantly progress fire ant eradication efforts.

Public awareness and education: Increase public awareness and education initiatives to foster collaboration and community engagement in fire ant control. Empowering individuals with knowledge and resources can enhance collective efforts towards eradication.

Furthermore, at the hearings Mr Priddy outlined how it would be beneficial for the program to use fire ant control products that had been developed for Australian conditions, with supporting in-field research.

“More on the ground Australian research and product development specific to our challenging environmental conditions is needed in a more adaptive approach to addressing these master invaders,” said Mr Priddy. “A paradigm shift is necessary to address the shortcomings of existing approaches and effectively combat the fire ant crisis.

“The National Fire Ant Eradication Program and pest management professionals face numerous challenges in their efforts to control RIFA infestations. Traditional methods such as spearing and injecting individual nests or baiting are laborious and time-consuming, and baiting has its challenges, particularly in adverse weather conditions.”

As stated in the documents submitted by Sundew Solutions to the Senate Inquiry, Mr Priddy believes the current methods employed in the program are hindered by several significant challenges:

Inefficiency of baiting: Baiting, a widely used method in the program, has its limitations. Inclement weather conditions, such as rain or extreme temperatures, render baiting ineffective. Despite years of baiting efforts, infested areas persist, leading to questions about the use of resources.

Labour-intensive techniques: Traditional methods such as spearing and injecting individual nests are labour-intensive and time-consuming. Treating large areas using these techniques requires extensive manpower and resources, resulting in high costs and inefficiencies.

Program limitations: The current program relies heavily on accredited specialists, limiting access to treatment methods. This exclusivity reduces the frequency of control measures, exacerbating the spread of fire ants.

The battle against red imported fire ants has been a longstanding challenge for the National Fire Ant Eradication Program and pest management professionals. However, a new solution has emerged in the form of Sundew Solutions’ Rapid Response Large Area Treatment.

“This innovative approach, which uses boom application, marks a significant leap forward in fire ant control, offering unparalleled efficiency and effectiveness in treating large infestations across expansive areas,” said Mr Priddy.

The Rapid Response Large Area Treatment process sees Sundew’s ANTagonistPRO polymer-enhanced bifenthrin applied using regular boom spray equipment. This can be by hand boom or boom mounted on a quad bike, utility vehicle or a readily available spray rig. ANTagonistPRO is one of a handful of products that are officially APVMA approved for treating red imported fire ants.

A recent case study illustrates the transformative impact of this treatment approach. A pest manager on the Gold Coast faced a daunting task: treating a commercial development site plagued by fire ants, spanning an area of five hectares. Given the rough terrain, it was impossible to count the number of active nests. Members from the National Eradication Program visited the site and claimed it was impossible for them to treat the infestation within the time constraints. Traditional spearing and injecting methods were estimated to require over 200 man hours to complete.

The pest company contracted utilised the Sundew ANTagonistPRO Rapid Response Large Area Treatment technique. With this quick, efficient and cost effective process, the task was completed in less than four hours. Results were conclusive on the effectiveness of this technique with total elimination achieved in less than 28 days.

“We’re fighting a battle against fire ants in Australia – it’s a numbers game where we have to utilise every tool at our disposal to knock the biomass down so that we can direct resources towards infestations in more challenging terrain and turn this situation around,” commented Mr Priddy.

“After the Senate hearings had concluded, I was encouraged to see a number of recommendations from the senate inquiry findings were reflected in the evidence and submission documents we provided. The ten recommendations that came out of the hearings are certainly a step in the right direction.”

Sundew Solutions advocates for a holistic, inclusive, and innovative approach to fire ant control, emphasising the importance of efficient treatment methods, regulatory flexibility, and public engagement. It is only by addressing these critical issues that we can collectively work towards mitigating the impact of fire ants and safeguard our communities and ecosystems.

Published Professional Pest Manager Magazine, June 2024. The latest on the Red Imported Fire Ant Senate Inquiry including insights from speaker David Priddy, CEO of Sundew Solutions.