Australian National Botanic Gardens

JACK JUMPER ANTS STRATEGY

Contents Page

• Jack Jumper Ants – overview at ANBG
• ANBG Strategy
• Staff Induction
• First Aid
• Action Plan
• Hazard Assessment
• Marking
• Treatment - Spraying
• Protective Equipment
• Supervisors Role
• Record Keeping
• Annual Review
• Further Information

Appendix 1 – First aid officers at the ANBG

Appendix 2 – Staff qualified to spray nests.

Appendix 3 - Job Safety Analysis (ParkSAFE)

1.0 Jack Jumper Ants.

Jack Jumper Ants (Myrmecia ) have been a problem at the ANBG for a number of years. Some staff have developed severe allergic reactions to jumping ant stings, in the form of anaphylactic shock. The following recommendations are a direct result of the reactions some staff have to Jack Jumper Ant stings.

2.0 ANBG strategy

The ANBG is compelled to take all reasonable steps to protect staff and visitors alike from potential Jack Jumper ant stings. The following points in this document make up the entire strategy for managing Jack Jumper ant issues at the ANBG.

3.0 Staff Induction

First Aid

Supervisor to ensure new starters know whom to contact for First Aid. First aid officer list is at Appendix 1.

Contact list of staff who can help with identification. Staff contact list for identification and spraying of ants is located at Appendix 2.

Supervisor to arrange for new starter to receive this information.

Supervisor to explain to new staff possible ways to avoid being stung. These are:

• Keep your eyes open.
• Look where you stand and sit, especially near rocks and walls.

Most likely areas ants will be encountered.

• In the Rockery
• Near rocks and walls.

Personal Protective Equipment.

• Gloves (jack jumper ants are less inclined to sting through Latex gloves)
• Long sleeve shirts and long trousers. For added protection, gumboots can be worn with the trouser leg tucked inside the boot.

4.0 First Aid

Minor stings.

Most stings are a painful experience. In the event of a sting:

Apply one of the following to the area to help sooth pain - stingose or a cold pack

Seek medical advice if you feel unwell and particularly if you have difficulty breathing

Complete an incident report

Notify your supervisor should your reaction to stings make you feel unwell, or you have difficulty breathing. The next sting you receive could very well be life threatening.

Severe allergic reactions.

Some staff may have severe allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock) to Jack Jumper Ant stings. People with a known anaphylactic shock response will have received an EpiPen from their doctor to be self administered should an allergic reaction commence.

EpiPen are not to be administered to any other staff, except in certain circumstances.

Staff who have completed a St John EpiPen training course may administer EpiPen.

First aid officers with a current First aid certificate and no EpiPen certificate are only able to assist administer an EpiPen.

Untrained staff should not administer EpiPen

Instructions are written on the EpiPen

Training.

Organisation of training courses is the responsibility of the Curator, Living Collections.

First Aid Officers. Must attend either a one day or full three day course each year. (This course currently only enables the First aid officer to assist administer EpiPen)

EpiPen training courses are conducted by St John Ambulance.

Persons may be trained and certified to administer EpiPen without holding a current First aid certificate.

5.0 Action Plan

It is not an option for the ANBG to be totally free of Jack Jumper Ants. We will, however, make it as safe as reasonably practicable. This will involve all outdoor staff, including Nursery and Rangers.

Inspections

High Risk Areas

• Within 10 metres of the glasshouses
• Within 5 metres of Main Path
• Within any irrigated lawn area
• Within the Rockery
• Along retaining walls
• Within 20 metres of the ‘Who Lives Here’ Walk
• Near drinking fountains and seats.
• In and around the Kiosk, Ellis Rowan Building, Franklin Building, Research Complex, Visitor Services and Bookshop Building, Administration, Botany Building and Dickson Room Courtyard, Banks Building, Top and Bottom Depots and Trades Complex.

Medium Risk Areas

• All other areas. Less frequent checks.

Marking

All Jack Jumper Ant nests within maintained beds and High Risk Areas will be marked

Nests are to be marked to alert staff members (eg. Plant Records, Nursery, Depots) of nests, and lessen the likelihood of being stung.

Markers are to stay in place whilst nests are active.

Treatment

All nests within the areas listed above are to be treated with Solfac

Treated nests must be checked each week by the responsible staff member

When no ant activity has been observed for one month the marker can be removed

6.0 Hazard Assessment

The responsible supervisor must decide if nests outside of designated control areas are to be sprayed. Factors which may effect the decision include:

• previous stings
• proximity of nests to certain points of interest, seats, paths, handrails etc.

Supervisor should seek the opinion of fellow staff members if required.

7.0 Marking

Nests are to be marked with a white Tyvex tag, held in place by a tent peg.

Staff members responsible for ant control (see staff list at appendix 2) will number each tag.

If nests are to be sprayed, the date of spraying will be added to the tag with permanent marking pens.

The officer carrying out the control will check the sprayed nest on a weekly basis.

The date of subsequent checks will also be added to the tag.

The tag is to remain at the nest whilst the nest is active.

Used tags are to be disposed of; tent pegs are to be re used.

The marker can be removed one month after the last sited activity at the nest.

8.0 Treatment - spraying

Solfac 50 EW (trade name) is a registered chemical for the control of ants, flies, mosquitoes and other insects, and is the chemical recommended for ant control at the ANBG. Spraying of Solfac directly into the ant nest appears to be very effective in controlling Jack Jumper Ants.

Staff who have successfully completed a recognised pesticide application course are able to carry out spraying for Jack Jumper ant control (see appendix 2).

Use of Diazinon is no longer considered appropriate.

Sufficient Solfac solution needs to be applied to soak the main ant entrance. If an insufficient amount is used, desired results will not be achieved.

Please note:

Read the label and Material Safety Data Sheet before application.

Ensure the correct Personnel Protective Equipment is used at all times.

If staff wish to read the MSDS on any chemical in use at the ANBG, they are held by Top and Bottom Depots, Horticulture Managers, Trades, Nursery and Library.

9.0 Protective equipment

Hands and fingers are the most likely body parts to be stung by Jack Jumper Ants. The following clothing is recommended to minimise the risk of being stung, especially if working in an area with a population of Jack Jumper Ants:

• durable and sturdy gardening gloves
• latex gloves will also provide protection due to the synthetic nature of the product
• long trousers and long sleeve shirts.

10.0 Supervisor’s role

It is the Supervisors role to ensure:

• new staff are inducted properly, including the ability to identify Jack Jumper Ants and their nests
• staff are adequately dressed when working in areas of Jack Jumper ant activity and also when spraying.
• Staff submit incident reports if stung by Jack Jumper Ants.

11.0 Record keeping

Staff members responsible for ant control (see appendix 2) will keep accurate records of spraying and checking. It is important that staff check the last number issued to a tag before issuing the next number.

Each depot has a different spray records spreadsheet located on the shared drive in each depot folder::

• S://LIVINGCO/DEPOTS/TOP DEPOT/ Jack Jumper ants spreadsheet
• S://LIVINGCO/DEPOTS/BOTTOM DEPOT/ Jack Jumper ants spreadsheet.

Workplace Incident Report forms must be completed when staff are stung by Jack Jumper ants and forwarded to supervisor.

12.0 Annual review

These strategies are to be reviewed on a yearly basis each September by the Jack Jumper Ant group.

13.0 Further Information

Taylor, W.R. 2002. Jack Jumper Ants in the Australian National Botanic Gardens (copy located at ANBG Library)

- ASCIA (Clinical Immunology & Allergy) paper on Jack Jumper Ant Allergy (2005) [PDF]

- Allergy Capital http://www.allergycapital.com.au/Pages/Jumper%20ant%20allergy.html

- CSIRO information on jumper ants http://www.ento.csiro.au/science/ants/myrmeciinae/myrmecia/myrmecia.htm

- ant allergy support group http://www.antallergy.org/

- ASCIA survey http://www.medeserv.com.au/ascia/ants/index.htm

Appendix 1. ANBG First Aid Officers (September 2006)

If required, add column or asterix to table to indicate those trained to administer EpiPen.

Appendix 2 - Staff qualified to apply Solfac to ants’ nests.

Appendix 3

 ParkSAFE - Job Safety Analysis for Jack Jumper Ants (Word Doc)