Australian formulation helps prevent spread of hitchhiking pests on council vehicle and machinery fleets
Municipalities with public facilities at risk from the invasive spread of Red Imported Fire Ants have a new pest control weapon approved for automotive use on council vehicle and mobile machinery fleets.
RoadBlock Spider and Ant Automotive Treatment has been approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, APVMA, for use on vehicles, machinery and loads that may unwittingly carry the aggressive insects from one infestation to place new locations at risk.
Effective upon the hitch-hiking pests within minutes of contact, the all-Australian formulation is particularly relevant to councils in Queensland and Northern NSW in areas and electorates such Gold Coast, Brisbane, Coomera, Bundamba, Jordan, Logan, Hill, Woodridge, Gympie, Nanango, Murrumba, Maryborough and the Northern Rivers of NSW.
"These pests are the ultimate hitchhikers which can quickly spread on council vehicles, machinery and loads to infest public facilities such as sports grounds, camping grounds, swimming pool surrounds, golf courses, barbecue areas, gardens and council recreational and family facilities," says Amanda Lintott, owner of RoadBlock Spider and Ant Automotive Treatment.
"They are fiercely territorial and can painfully injure children, pets, parents and native fauna if they are inadvertently picked up and spread, which recent headlines tell us is happening in many urban and rural areas where councils have a duty of care to protect residents, visitors and staff exposed to the pest.
The tiny (6mm long) but enormously destructive RIFA pest is capable of forming colonies in 99 per cent of mainland Australia and 80 per cent of Tasmania if left unchecked, or carried unwittingly, to new areas by vehicles and machinery that passes through contaminated areas.
To date, multiple colonies have been found in Queensland and Northern NSW, but RIFA are quickly heading further south towards Victoria.
RoadBlock is a commercial grade aerosol product specifically designed to treat and prevent ants in vehicles including cars, trucks, recreational vehicles, campers, 4WDs, fleets and heavy vehicles and agricultural machinery that can spread the pest.
"RoadBlock is the only ready-to-use pest control product in Australia specifically approved for vehicles, and the latest approval will allow us to join the fight against the dangerous spread of fire ants. We can now assist drivers, travellers, and fleet owners who live or work in high risk areas, to reduce the chances of further spreading beyond Queensland and Northern NSW," says Amanda.
"With this new approval, RoadBlock users gain the extra comfort of knowing that a simple spray of their vehicle will not only be effective over a broad spectrum of pests but will specifically also kill and repel invasive fire ants in line with the requirements of the Biosecurity Act."
"RoadBlock is proven to kill RIFA within minutes of contact. It then gives lasting barrier protection to ensure these ultimate unwanted hitchhikers don't form new colonies as they are spread Interstate from thousands of existing infestation sites"
The National Fire Ant Eradication Programme notes that – in addition to travelling within and upon vehicles – fire ants can also spread when people move:
- Materials commonly transported by council vehicles and machinery, such as soil, hay, mulch, manure, quarry products, turf, and potted plants.
- Containers that have been used with organic materials, such potted plants and fertiliser used on council amenities.
- Dirty machinery that has been used to move restricted material (or material in which RIFA have established themselves undetected, including grass crops and other ground-covering crops).
All of which can be sprayed to help neutralise the latent threat.
RoadBlock differentiates itself from standard insect sprays as it has been tested and is safe to use on all typical automotive surfaces. It also features a commercial grade formulation, a precisely directable straw nozzle and is also Australian owned and Australian made.
The long nozzle applicator ensures the spray is directed precisely to problem areas – including mirrors, wheel arches and grilles, weather covers, water storages, battery bays, and any warm restful hollow spaces that appeal to insects.
"Another major benefit of this type of application, is that you don't have to fumigate the entire vehicle – you can just use small amounts in the key areas, to protect against new infestations."
"The specialised Australian formulation of RoadBlock Spider and Ant Automotive Treatment is stronger for longer than standard sprays. It is suitable for use on a wide range of vehicles, from cars, utes, and vans, right up to heavy machinery, trucks, and commercial vehicles that may come into contact with contaminated soils or are being used and stored outdoors in Australia's harsh environments," says Amanda, adding that RoadBlock has been rigorously formulated and tested for use under Australian conditions.
Prevention better than cure
"Left unchecked to travel our highways and byways, these little nasties can cause huge and painful damage to people, children, pets, stock, native fauna and fauna and, ultimately, the Australian economy. The Australia Institute research body estimates that RIFA will cost Australians more than $22bn by the 2040s if unchecked," says Amanda.
By comparison, the estimated cost of containing, then eradicating, the problem now is $3bn, which just serves to highlight the need to take prompt action.**
Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, everyone – including individuals and organisations – has a general biosecurity obligation (GBO) to take all reasonable steps to prevent the spread of fire ants.
Queenslanders are legally required to report suspected sightings of fire ants within 24 hours of their discovery, and, depending on the nest's location, take action to treat the pest. Once reported, property or business owners may also be required to cease operations for a decontamination period.
The National Fire Ant Eradication Program 10-year elimination plan involves an intensive and targeted eradication effort over Southeast Queensland, spanning from the Lockyer Valley in the west to Redlands in the east, Moreton Bay to the north and the Gold Coast to the south.
*The APVMA is the Government statutory agency responsible for the management and regulation of all agricultural and veterinary chemical products in Australia. Before an agricultural or veterinary chemical product can be legally supplied, sold, or used in Australia it must be registered by the APVMA.
**The Australia Institute identifies areas where thousands of people will need medical attention and suffer anaphylactic reactions each year as including the electorates of Coomera, Bundamba, Jordan, Logan, Hill, Woodridge, Gympie, Nanango, Murrumba, and Maryborough. The National Allergy Centre of Excellence and Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia predicts that if fire ants were to become endemic, a quarter of the 8.6 million Australians who would be stung by fire ants each year would develop an allergic reaction, with 174,000 of those requiring medical attention. Up to 652,000 people a year would seek medical consultation because of RIFA stings, they said. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy said, "anaphylaxis is almost three times more common with RIFA stings than with other stinging insects."
(**Source: A submission to the Federal Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee.)
About us:
About Autonomy
Autonomy is an Australian brand of products for cars, caravans and campers. Founded by Amanda Lintott, Autonomy launched in 2022. Amanda has a long history in the automotive industry in Australia and is based in Sydney. RoadBlock is available online at www.autonomyco.com.au, on Amazon, and at select retailers.
