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laying bait
Laying ant bait. Image – Kerry Barton

Known Past Operations

If anyone has information on past operations and is willing to share the results (including data, images, etc.), then contact us and we can make these available on this site.

Information of ongoing, successful or failed operations is all useful to help inform others.

Past operations

Organisation: Landcare Research 2002
Control Method: Xstinguish™
Monitoring Method: Baited vials
Aim: Initial experiments trialling Xstinguish™
Results: Table 1

Table 1

Location Size of infestation Reduction in ant numbers
Tiritiri Matangi Island 13 ha 99.98%
Mount Maunganui 60 ha in total Notable reductions and two small-scale eradications
Nelson Over 150 properties c. 90%
Christchurch – Sockburn 28 ha Good results
Christchurch – Riccarton 4.8 ha Good results
Christchurch – Hornby 17.4 ha Good results

Experience with volunteers

Experience with volunteers is reported below in the hope that the problems encountered can be avoided in other campaigns. At this site, Argentine ants were recorded throughout an extensive area of steep hillside with large well-established sections and extensive reserves of scrubland and forest, bordered by new subdivisions in grassland. A decision was taken to adopt an approach that involved surveying, providing information to landowners and securing access to bait with landowners paying for the bait. To coordinate treatment, bait-laying was conducted by volunteers organised into teams, provided with on-site logistical support.

The challenges included:

There are many lessons that can be taken from this experience: