The yellow crazy ant infestations in the Townsville area are significant and growing. There are now six infestation areas – at Alligator Creek, Nome, Stuart, Douglas, Black River and Mount St John.
These infestations are only 10km from the southern portion of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and less than 5km from Bowling Green Bay National Park, which has an exceptionally high number of endemic species that could be wiped out by yellow crazy ants.
Unlike the Cairns infestation, there is no federal or state funded program to manage the Townsville infestation, with management falling to the Townsville City Council.
Without more resources dedicated to eradication there is a significant risks that the Townsville infestations will lead to more widespread of yellow crazy ants across North Queensland