Bye thongs, Bye picnics, red fire ants are coming

Published: December 9, 2016

Any grey nomad who has ever been bitten by a red fire ant while out in the bush will be alarmed to hear that the insect is literally marching across the country … and has the potential to be the worst invasive species to ever cross Australia’s borders.

An independent review of the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program found there was “only a small window of opportunity left” to wipe out an insect that is currently plaguing south-east Queensland. It is estimated that the ant colonies are now only about 50 kilometres from the New South Wales border.

And it is not just the fact that the bite is extremely painful, the report estimates that if the ants are not wiped out in Australia they could be responsible for up to 3,000 anaphylactic reactions each year.

The ABC reports that red fire ants originated in South America and have been responsible for at least 85 deaths in the United States from people who have had anaphylactic reactions when the ants bite en masse.

The report, obtained by the ABC, recommends the Federal Government double its efforts and spend $380 million over the next decade on treatment and surveillance to stop the march of the ants.

The independent report suggested eradicating the ants would be a highly cost effective measure, with each dollar spent on eradication saving $25 later on.

The ABC reports that the ants also have a massive impact on agriculture, with highly-cooperative ‘super colonies’ being known to consume small livestock like lambs and chickens and undermine entire crops.

“Basically they’re an aggressive ant, they’re a survivor, they have all sorts of adaptions for survival,” said Biosecurity Queensland’s Dr Ross Wylie. “But obviously each day we delay is a day that the ant in theory is capable of spreading.”

And the problem is not just out in the bush. Just 40 kilometres south of Brisbane, for example, the city of Ipswich is reportedly being held to ransom by the South American pest. Mayor Paul Pisasale said just two suburbs in the city were now unaffected.

Invasive Species Council chief executive Andrew Cox told the ABC that the ants had the potential to undermine Australian lifestyle.

“We won’t be able to walk around on our grassy lawns with thongs,” he said. “We won’t be able to have picnics. Our playgrounds won’t be able to be used without baiting.”

• Have you ever been bitten by a fire ant? Comment below

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QLD , listen to the experts and get rid of the little suckers.

We have been trying for years with little success

As usual, the Queensland government has been not doing enough to E ridicule this problem.
They had their chance when they were first discovered years ago but little positive action has given us the result that we have now.
The Qld government are to busy planning for the next election and there are no votes with the eridication of the fire ant.
We need to lobby the Katter Party or One Nation, someone who cares!!!!

Cant the cane toads eat them ???????

Last month we set up our Motorhome in Pottsville North. After pulling out our outside Kitchen I laid down our Blue plastic punched plastic flooring. It consists of squares that join together like a jigsaw to make any shape you want. I did notice a few Ants running around on the sand beneath our pullout and one or two running across the plastic mat. I figured that once they had explored a bit, they would get used to it and continue running around underneath the matting. That evening I had a strange feeling in my little toe, as if I had stubbed it, which I didn’t remember doing. The next day I had a similar pain on the underside of my foot on the ball by my toes. This was much worse and caused me to limp. It was then that I realised that the Ant,s had been biting me while I was standing there, on the matting, with bare feet! They goes a good spray with our Bushman and a dose of Ant Sand, By the next day there was no sign of them, although I still made sure I wore foot ware, just in case. The pain and tenderness gradually wore off over the next couple of days.

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