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Singapore ant (Monomorium destructor)

In Australia, the Singapore ant is an introduced tramp ant that can be transported around the world through trade. It is a pest in urban areas, damaging electrical and phone lines, cables, household goods and vehicles, and can also displace native invertebrates.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, invertebrate.

Native to: India, Japan, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

Established in: QLD, WA, NT.

Other names: Destructive trailing ant, Mizo-hime-ari.

Identification

  • Workers are variable in size, about 1.8 to 3.5 mm long.
  • The head and body are light yellow to dull brownish yellow, while the gaster is darker.
  • The body is mostly smooth and shiny, with sparse hairs and fine, inconspicuous ridges on the top of the head.
  • The antennae have 12 segments, including a three-segmented club; the eyes are small, and each mandible has three strong teeth and a tiny fourth tooth.
  • Look-alike: Similar species include Monomorium latinode and Monomorium mayri.

Where it lives

In Australia, nests have been associated with urban areas, including above ground in wall and roof cavities in northern Western Australia, and the species appears unable to establish in undisturbed habitat.

Why it matters

  • In urban areas, introductions have been associated with decreases in ant species diversity; the ant has also been documented displacing native invertebrates through aggression.
  • Foragers gnaw holes in fabric and rubber goods, remove rubber insulation from electrical and phone lines, and damage polyethylene cable.
  • Ants can short vehicle ignition systems, and several house and car fires have been attributed to the species.
  • They forage for food in houses, can bite people in bed, and have been associated with high property-damage and treatment costs.

How it spreads

  • The Singapore ant is a tramp species that has become widely dispersed through trade and commerce.
  • It forms large colonies with multiple queens.

Control methods

  • Dried granular corn-grit baits are described as effective against this species.
  • Products registered for use against it in Australia include hydramethylnon baits such as Amdro, Drax Ant Kil Granular, Garrards Granular Ant Bait, Faslane Granular Ant Bait and Maxforce Granular Insect Bait.
  • Amdro has been used effectively; Ascend has shown potential in field use, although some recovery occurred after two weeks.
  • Use only products currently registered for the site and follow their label directions; check for continuing ant activity after treatment.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Because trade is a pathway for spread, inspect goods and equipment before moving them from places where the ants occur.
  • Avoid transporting ants with goods or materials.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: General biosecurity duty. Not prohibited matter in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Not listed. Not found in the Western Australian Organism List. Check with DPIRD before moving or keeping it.
  • Tasmania: Declared pest. It is a declared pest under the Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas). Report sightings to Biosecurity Tasmania and follow any management requirements.
  • Northern Territory: Not a declared pest. Not on an NT declared or prohibited list. Check with the NT Government before keeping, moving or releasing it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Northern Territory: Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976 (NT), administered by NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Sources