This July, select areas of Tempe Heights Park will be treated for European fire ants.
The European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) is an invasive species first recorded in British Columbia in 2010 and has since impacted many communities across Metro Vancouver. These ants are often spread through human activities, nesting in garden and landscape materials.
European fire ants aggressively defend their territory by swarming and delivering painful, repeated stings to any threat, such as people, pets and wildlife that come close to their nests.
European Fire Ants in North Vancouver
In 2014, European fire ants were confirmed present in a select area of Tempe Heights Park. Until recently, the City’s focus has been on containing the infestation, as no successful treatments were known.
In 2021, Metro Vancouver and the Invasive Species Council of Metro Vancouver developed best management practices for these ants. Insecticide use is now considered the only effective control method available for European fire ants in British Columbia, and successful treatment is limited to smaller infestations.
Approaches for managing European fire ants have advanced rapidly and will likely evolve as researchers test new methods. The City will continue to work with our partners, including neighbouring municipalities, Metro Vancouver and the Province, to help avoid the further spread of this invasive species.
About the treatment
There will be three treatments in impacted areas in Tempe Heights Park throughout July, 2-5 days apart. The treatment includes:
- Removing a patch of grass and soil at each nest site;
- Treating soil with a low-toxicity insecticide;
- Returning treated soil to the site; and
Returning the grass and reseeding as needed.
Please do not enter the flagged areas during treatment. There are no anticipated disruptions to the courts or playground during this work.
More information
Learn more about European fire ants at cnv.org/FireAnts. For questions, please contact eng@cnv.org or call 604-987-7155.