Fire ants causing a concern in Fredericton
European fire ants have been in New Brunswick for few years, but they are slowly expanding throughout the province and it's a cause for concern.
There have been three sightings of the ants in Fredericton.
Chandra Moffat found them in a friend's backyard. She's a doctoral student in biology at the University of New Brunswick and said she is concerned about the ants being in the city.
"I am very disappointed learning that fire ants are in Fredericton. They can make backyards virtually unusable for families," she said.
"If they get into parks or campgrounds they can really provide serious problems and limit the usage of such natural areas."
Moffat says fire ants are reddish brown and less than a centimetre in size, but they pack a powerful punch.
She said their sting is milder than a wasp, lasting upwards of a week.
The ants prefer to nest close to the surface in warm moist areas like under shrubs. They've adapted to cold winters, but move slowly which is the only silver lining.
"Once they are established they are difficult to control," Moffat said.
"Traditional chemical methods aren't generally effective. In most cases only workers are killed."
Moffat said if people think they may have fire ants in their backyard, they should contact her at the department of biology at the University of New Brunswick so that she can help identify them.
