Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Senate inquiry search for solutions to fire ant threat unearths overlooked local answer right under our noses

Recent stories

Australian Rural & Regional News asked a number of further questions of David Priddy, CEO, Sundew Professional Solutions. Read the full interview below.

Sundew Professional Solutions, Media Release, May 2024

A leading Australian pest control specialist says a locally developed solution to the spread of Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) has been used and proven in this country by professional pest controllers for 10 years.

But the man who developed ANTagonistPRO rapid response large-area treatment, David Priddy, says he is perplexed that such Australian solutions, formulated for Australian conditions, have been largely overlooked to date within the National Fire Ant Eradication programme in favour of slower imported solutions.

Mr Priddy applauded recommendations of this month’s Senate report into fire ant biosecurity, headed by Queensland Senator Matthew Canavan, which called for the introduction of additional technologies and techniques to speedily address the situation.

He also applauded the Senate report’s recommendation that the Australian Government, in conjunction with the Qld and NSW Governments, work to increase compliance with fire ant movement controls, including biosecurity spot checks at border crossings with regular reports of identified breaches.

“These pests are the ultimate hitchhikers, and if left unchecked are capable of forming colonies in 95 per cent of mainland Australia and most of Tasmania,” said David.

He told the Senate inquiry that a scientifically proven Australian solution to widespread fire ant infestations and spreading already exists, in the form of the ANTagonistPRO solution used by professional pest controllers to treat large areas extremely quickly, with successful eradication of fire ants in treated areas.

ANTagonistPRO – which is complemented by Sundew’s SAS PRO rapid response direct nest treatment to kill individual nests – is the only APVMA (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) approved concentrate product for applying to vehicles including quad bikes, contractor vehicles, boom sprays, trucks, earthmoving and harvesting equipment, recreational vehicles, shipping containers, reducing the risk that fire ants can be moved from property to property.

“Our message is why do we have to focus our search overseas when we have proven solutions in our backyard?,” said David, who has built Sundew Professional Solutions into one of the largest family-owned Australian businesses supplying pest solutions to the professional sector.

“We don’t claim a monopoly on solutions – we just want our local solutions to be given a fair go rather than being overlooked in favour of overseas solutions formulated for overseas conditions,” said David, who previously worked for a multinational biopharma company before setting up his own company to develop a local solution to effectively combat the Australian fire ant problem.

Sundew’s fire ant solutions have been tested and proven in agricultural and commercial applications in Queensland and Northern NSW as the pest moves south, threatening biosecurity devastation including major damage to more than 50 agricultural and horticultural crops and livestock at risk of being affected by infestations.

“National allergy bodies also told a Senate Inquiry into RIFA that 174,000 people could develop severe allergic reactions to the insect’s bite if this highly aggressive pest becomes endemic in Australia. Its spread also threatens pets, playgrounds, sportsgrounds, camping grounds and native flora and fauna, to the point of extinction if it gets sufficient foothold nationally,” said David.

He says adoption of proven local solutions to the fire ant issue is currently limited by the National fire Ant Eradication program relying heavily on accredited specialists using foreign solutions, limiting access to other treatment methods. This overseas primary focus hampers the widespread adoption of effective local control measures, exacerbating the spread of fire ants.

He is also calling for regulatory flexibility to accommodate effective and safe solutions. “Expanding the list of approved products to include scientifically validated alternatives can boost progress in the country’s fire ant eradication efforts,” he says.

David says Australia can learn from the US’s failure to prioritise their eradication program and it now costs the industry and agriculture sector US$7 billion a year to manage.

“We need to consider and use all options, as the Fire Ant Inquiry recommended – Australia has access to a locally proven solution. The challenge is to drive its wide adoption,” says David Priddy. If not, fire ants will cost Australia an estimated two billion dollars every year – and that doesn’t include the huge environmental impact.

Limited success of solutions employed so far

Current attempts at eradicating this invasive pest have resulted in limited success for a variety of reasons, he says.

Baiting is often used, but it is inefficient and has limited use as poor weather and extreme conditions can render this method ineffective. David points to a site in Brisbane that receives high rainfall. Despite eight years of baiting, the site remains heavily infested with red ants.

The other approach utilised is individually spearing and injecting individual nests, which is a labour intensive process, requires certified training, specialised equipment, and is extremely time consuming.

“Australia should adopt a more cohesive approach and look at locally developed solutions that are proven specifically for fire ants,” says David. “Some of the current approaches taken in Australia to deal with fire ants rely on overseas studies and data which may not be applicable here.

David spoke at the recent public Senate hearing in Newcastle, focusing on the fire ant problem, where he encouraged a more holistic eradication problem, as contained in the Senate Inquiry recommendations. “From my perspective, every fire ant is bad. They can all spread to new locations and infest new areas if not eradicated properly. In our experience, one crucial element of a successful eradication problem is using a product tested on local conditions,” he says.

Queensland testing

The efficacy of Sundew’s product was evident at a five-acre shopping centre site in Queensland. Traditional program treatment methods were deemed impractical by the National Fire Ant Program due to complex terrain and time constraints.

Adopting spear and inject methodology would have required over 200 work hours to treat the area. Instead, Sundew’s rapid response large area treatment was used, and it eliminated the infestation using one technician.

“The entire process was completed in less than four hours, showcasing ANTagonistPRO’s efficiency and effectiveness,” says David.

The time to act is now

Autumn can be a particularly difficult time with the warm soil and milder days making fire ants more active. David is calling on government entities, regulators, and pest industry professionals to come together quickly and implement a suitable solution that works.

The alternative is a dire scenario. An assessment of their likely impact on 123 animals in Southeast Queensland predicted population declines in about 45 percent of birds, 38 percent of mammals, 69 percent of reptiles and 95 percent of frogs. This would push some species to the brink of extinction.

There have been several fire ant incursions since 2001 and all those outbreaks were eradicated. “That tells us eradication is possible,” says David. “We have the people and the know-how to make fire ant eradication a reality.”

About Sundew Professional Solutions

Sundew Professional Solutions is a family owned 100% Australian business employing local families and manufacturing facilities in Australia and New Zealand to produce all of our products. We utilise the services of local Australian research companies, registration professionals, and chemical laboratories. With more than 40 Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) approvals during this time, Sundew presently exceeds its peers in developing innovative state-of-the-art formulations and technology for the professional pest management and other associated segments.

Sundew’s red imported fire ant (RIFA) solutions are the result of years of extensive research and development undertaken in southeast Queensland since 2011. Sundew offers innovative solutions to quickly eliminate large fire ant infestations as well as protect vehicles from inadvertently moving fire ants between locations.

Australian Rural & Regional News asked David Priddy, CEO, Sundew Professional Solutions
about fire ants and Sundew’s treatment for this invasive species.

ARR.News: What are the differences between the imported RIFA solutions being pursued in Australia and Sundew’s Australian products, ANTagonistPRO?

David Priddy: There are two main differences between solutions currently pursued in Australia by the program and the solutions offered by Sundew: methodology and research and development.

Methodology

Current methods are two-fold. Firstly, there’s baiting. This typically needs six applications to work, and can be interrupted by rain. Brisbane gets a lot of rain, and on a test site that used baiting for seven years, fire ants were still present. It’s highly labour intensive, requiring multiple personnel to target fire ant nests.

The second method is spear and inject, which is also highly labour intensive. It involves going nest by nest, using a 1,100 litre tank, with a pump to apply pressure to steel rods around the nest. The nest is dug up, and drenched in chemical, in a process that takes approximately 8 minutes per nest, and leaves 10 litres of chemical in the ground. Because the main chemicals used break down in sunlight, they can remain underground for a long time, in the soil. This becomes an environmental hazard because no other species can go there.

On the other hand, Sundew’s ANTagonistPRO is designed to be applied to a very large area, very quickly, without using as much labour. The product is not water soluble, so it bonds to the surface and does not wash away in the rain. So it is far less expensive to use – the major cost handicaps of existing methods – and far more broadly effective for far longer.

Local versus overseas product research and development

Many of the products being used locally in programs to treat fire ants are being used based on data from work done overseas by large multinational companies. This is vastly different, in comparison, to products that have been researched and developed right here in Australia, under Australian harsh conditions. The dependence on baiting by the program is fundamentally flawed in that it is required to be applied under optimal environmental conditions – not applied when hot, not applied when cold, not applied when rain is anticipated.  Unfortunately all of these things happen in the infestation zone on a daily basis and this is why it takes up to six applications over many months for baiting to be effective (and in many examples it hasn’t worked despite years of vigilant application).

Setting up to apply Sundew treatment

ARR.News: The Queensland test, where your product was used over a large area. Are there other environmental risks of that approach? For instance, could the product harm other plants, animals or people? What if it reaches a water supply?

David Priddy: All pesticides are potentially dangerous for water supplies, so correct usage often involves mitigating risks of the product ending up in the water. Because ANTagonistPRO is not water soluble, it will stay on the ground where it is applied, and move approximately one metre, as opposed to other water soluble types that could move 100 metres or more and end up contaminating water supplies.

Baiting methods also end up interacting with “non-target animals” such as birds and lizards etc, which are attracted to the corn-based formulation of most baits. ANTagonistPRO on the other hand will stay specific to insects. It will kill any insects that come into contact with it, but what we have found is that, within six months, native insects end up returning to the site, where they are no longer bothered by the invasive RIFA. We have seen this proven on even the most delicate ecosystems where we have operated, including mainland and island territories. So, effective, targeted treatment frees up environments to refresh and regrow with the insects and fauna nature intended.

When it comes to people, a sensible approach is needed. No-one should be consuming pesticide, or touching it while it’s wet, but if used according to the instructions, it will keep areas safe for people. We are not talking about carpet bombing huge areas. We are talking about judicious, careful selective applications which will make areas safe again for people, including children and pets, as well as native flora and fauna affected negatively by fire ants.

ARR.News: You point out that there have been several fire ant incursions since 2001 and those outbreaks have been eradicated. How different is this latest incursion to those?

David Priddy: It may be possible with existing spear and baiting techniques to treat isolated small infestations, but the scale of the problem now shows how far the problem has spread, not shrunk. The core difference is the scale of this incursion. It’s over a significantly larger area – about 850,000 hectares in Queensland alone and spreading to NSW. To date, we have been using techniques that are too slow, and the eradication efforts have not had enough resources for the large areas that are infested. Homeowners, pest controllers, and governments all need more tools. The recent Senate inquiry into fire ants makes that abundantly clear – more tools are needed because the scale of the problem is increasing, not decreasing.

ARR.News: Do you know, or how do you believe, this latest incursion started? Where is the breach that needs to be addressed so this does not happen again?

David Priddy: That is very hard to pin down, because these insects are the ultimate hitchhikers – they will travel in crop or livestock loads, on vehicles, on floodwaters, on affected flora and fauna, and they can fly 5km at a time too. Plus, it is hard for people to know they have them. We have visited sites where landowner claims there are no fire ants on their property.  However, upon slashing the property they have discovered hundreds of nests. Given the diversity of the terrain, knowing what to look for, and where to look makes this challenging for the regular layman. And to make matters worse, the infestation spreads because people are scared to report fire ant nests, for fear that their business and livelihood will be shut down. Or perhaps they simply lack the resources to scour a 20-acre property full of low scrubland, to find every nest.

See the list below: How do Fire Ants Spread?

ARR.News: Do you believe all RIFAs in Australia can be eradicated or is the best we can hope for now to keep it under control and manage outbreaks?

David Priddy: Eradication would be an amazing thing – it’s what we all want. The challenge is how to effectively utilise the limited resources over such a large infested area. Large areas with heavy infestations needs tools that can be implemented quickly and with the least resources/costs needed to complete the task.  More difficult/challenging/environmentally sensitive areas need greater input and effort to ensure the correct results.  Relying on hit and miss baiting, and labour intensive spear and inject techniques just doesn’t make sense.

ARR.News: Is there a way that people and landholders can minimise the risk of RIFAs on their property?

David Priddy:There are a number of things landholders can do to minimise their risk, including:

  • Checking all incoming soil, potting mix, bark chips, compost, and similar products to ensure they have been treated correctly, and are certified products, to avoid bringing RIFA onto the land.
  • Learn how to identify a fire ant nest, so that you can act quickly and early, before they spread.
  • Practice good equipment hygiene. Be wary of a ute that has been sitting in a paddock for several months, then moves to a new location, for example. Or a truck or cargo that may have been through an affected area, even unknowingly. Checks on vehicles was also one of the Senate Committee’s major recommendations.

Then, there are two main approaches that can work in tandem to fight against RIFA:

  • A curative approach, when you know you have a nest, but using Sundew’s SAS PRO granule direct nest treatment. This is a pest control professional’s product, but there is also Sundew’s Amgrow Fire Ant Killer Granules, which is a fire ant sand product available at Bunnings for individuals to use, with no mixing required – just put it right on and around the nest.
  • A preventative approach, using ANTagonistPRO once a year.

Each of these products can be applied by anyone, with no specialist equipment or training required – they just need to be used according to the instructions on the packaging. But users must be very wary of how, when and where to use them and strictly in accordance with the legal requirements on the labels – these are statutory obligations. You do need experience to know what formulation is being effective – otherwise you could end up, for example,  using a formulation that will only form a barrier to simply discourage fire ants away from a particular location, to spread them even further afield. The aim is to kill them.

ARR.News: What can be done about RIFA’s on inaccessible property and in national parks?

David Priddy: This is a really hard task, and I don’t believe in putting chemicals down for the sake of it. It’s important to first identify that RIFAs are there, and to take a responsible approach. In an ideal world, we would map these areas first, to find out which spots have nests, population densities, and then use this data to target the infestations accordingly.

Realistically, Australia’s current programme has limited resources (such as cars, people, time for example), which is why a rapid response large area treatment like ANTagonistPRO is so helpful, because it frees up resources to be used elsewhere. It means one boom spray and 30 minutes can do a job that would have taken multiple people, multiple vehicles, and multiple days to complete.

ARR.News: How should people respond if they find RIFA’s? Why can’t they spray it with other pesticides?

David Priddy: The use of pesticides, because of their very nature, is governed and regulated by the government agency known as the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). Pesticides are given an approval number after a very lengthy and stringent assessment process. Approved products have strict use instructions and the use of these products in an unauthorised manner is illegal. Fines apply for off label unauthorised use. So using ‘just anything’ is actually not legal.

But there are other reasons not to use other pesticides – they could actually make the problem worse. Instead of killing the fire ants, it may kill only the ones touched by the pesticide, and they will leave a repellent hormone to warn other ants, which may make the nest split into two new nests somewhere nearby. And additionally, wrongful application of pesticides might cause harm to non-target species, including people, household pets, native fauna, etc.

ARR.News: Should ordinary householders and landowners keep a supply of your product in case they find RIFAs?

David Priddy: My opinion is that people should not have pesticides in their home if they don’t have to. So in this case, I would only recommend it to those living in an identified “risk area” that may have found fire ant activity previously so that they can respond quickly if they do spot a nest. Amgrow Fire Ant Killer Granules is well suited to this sort of personal use, and comes in appropriate sizes.  Being classified as non-scheduled means it is very safe when used as directed.

ANTagonistPRO is designed more for pest control professionals, and to be applied on much larger sites than a typical residential home.

ARR.News: You say we need a cohesive approach and to look at locally developed solutions. Can you be a little more specific about just what action you would recommend at every level?

David Priddy: There are three levels that need to be addressed – consumers (including landowners and farmers), pest controllers, and governments. All of these levels need access to more flexible solutions, so they can take action if they suspect a RIFA infestation. They need more tools, and more options, and the current two methods have been too slow and ineffective so far. It’s far more effective to treat a large area in one day with ANTagonistPRO, compared with a month of baiting, or a year of spear and injecting.

The more options we have, the less fearful we will be, and rather than hiding from the fire ants, we’ll be on the offensive, containing their spread.

How do fire ants spread?

There are hundreds of ways fire ants can move locations.  There are three primary modes:

  1. Mating flights/budding
  2. Flooding
  3. Artificial

1. Mating flights

During the warmer months nests have to potential to produce hundreds of male and female reproductives (alates) which take to the wind under the right conditions after mating and can travel 5 km from the original nest. A newly established nest can have reproductive alates after only 6 months.

There are also multi-queen nests which can have several hundred queens. In these situations mated queens will set up new nests a few metres away from the original nest (budding).

2. Flooding

Fire ants have adapted brilliantly to flooding conditions (large rain events) where entire nest colonies are able join together to build balls of ants (rafts) protecting the queen and colony members.  In these flooding events entire ant colonies are able to move vast distances from their original nest location. The frequent (almost every second day in Brisbane) rain and flash water logging events in SEQ present an enorrmous risk of these excellent ‘rafters’ relocating vast distances from where they originated.

3. Artificial

These are some examples of fire ants can be spread (not in their natural mating flight) way.  Fire ants have an affinity for areas of soil disturbance and development:

  • In potted plants
  • Commercial for sale plants, trees, shrubs
  • Compost and soils
  • Turf from turf farms
  • Shipping containers, pallets
  • Farm equipment
  • Recreational vehicles
  • Commercial vehicles, buses, trains, planes, etc
  • Earthmoving equipment
  • Roadworks equipment
  • Dumping of fill dirt (I visited a site recently in Brisbane were many metric tonnes of fill dirt was dumped on a commercial site being prepped for development that was ‘heaving full of hundreds of fire ant colonies)
  • ATVs
  • Landscaping supplies
  • Bark and mulches
  • Potting mix
  • Construction/building materials
  • Gravels and garden topdressing
  • Materials such as hay, manure, quarry products
  • Old potting containers or similar with organic materials still intact
  • Deliberate illegal relocation
  • Recycle centres – piles of crushed soda bottles present sugary surfaces highly attractive and conducive to fire ants (and other invasive tramp ant species)
  • Rubbish collected and relocated to other sites (e.g. vehicle tires collected from dumped site and taken to secondary location for repurposing can relocate nests)
  • Garden/building maintenance businesses going from location to location
  • Transportation of infested garbage
  • Infested animal feed
  • Infested landscaping rocks, timbers, etc
  • Infested garden ornaments, play equipment, planter boxes, outdoor furniture, etc
  • Etc etc

KEEP IN TOUCH

Sign up for updates from Australian Rural & Regional News

Manage your subscription

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.