Rafting and tunnelling

Fire ants are highly mobile and can travel long distances on their own. Learn how they work together to spread to new areas.

Rafting through floods

Rafting is a survival technique for fire ants, especially in flood-prone areas.

Fire ants create rafts by linking their bodies together into a floating structure that sits on the surface of the water.

Rafting can help fire ants to:

  • relocate short distances
  • survive flood events
  • protect the colony, including the queen and brood.

This increases risk in flood-prone areas like South East Queensland through the storm season and other weather events. However, given that rafting is a last-resort survival method for the colony, flooding and rain do not pose a significant risk of spreading fire ants over large distances.

Fire ant nests can locally spread short distances and show up in new areas on your property, especially after heavy rain or floods.

Remember to check your property after severe weather events.

Tunnelling underground

Fire ants build large underground tunnel networks where they can move around without being seen.

These tunnels form the structure of their nests and can extend metres underground.

The length and complexity of these tunnels mean natural remedies like vinegar or hot water are not as effective as registered treatment products.

These tunnel networks support important activities in the colony, including:

  • Foraging and movement: Workers use tunnels to find food and move around safely.
  • Brood and queen movement: Ants move eggs, larvae and the queen/s to different chambers in the nest, depending on temperature and moisture levels.
  • Colony expansion: Tunnels allow colonies to spread and establish in new areas while staying hidden.

Tunnelling to new areas

Fire ants use their underground tunnels to move undetected and expand their colonies.

New colonies can take several months to become visible. During hot and dry conditions colonies move deep into the soil, making them exceptionally hard to find.

You can protect your property by making sure that you:

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