Fire ants are rafting on Cyclone Alfred’s floodwaters

Venomous fire ants swept up in floodwaters from Cyclone Alfred are forming teeming rafts and travelling downstream, sparking fears that the invasive pest will infest new areas such as NSW and further afield.

A video shot this week shows thousands of fire ants clinging together and floating in streams in Queensland’s Scenic Rim region, near the Gold Coast.

“Disturbingly, new footage shows this rafting behaviour happening right now in flood-affected areas with high fire-ant density,” the Invasive Species Council’s Reece Pianta said.

Fire ants have infested greater Brisbane, where an eradication effort is under way. While all the rivers in the region flow eastwards to sea, not into NSW, there are concerns that flooding will drive interstate spread of the invasive pest.

Loading

High density infestations have sprung up at many locations, such as outer Brisbane and the Gold Coast, increasing the likelihood of the ants being accidently transported across state borders in “carrier materials” – such as landscape supplies.

“I have seen more videos of fire ants rafting in Ipswich, Gold Coast and Logan areas, showing this is an increasing phenomenon that reflects the increasing density of the fire-ant population,” Pianta said.

“A property owner may think they are fire ant free, but they could well have an infestation after these floods, and ants are into their turf, mulch, soil or hay that are inadvertently moved over the border into NSW.”

Fire ants are a growing problem in the Brisbane electorate of Logan, represented by Treasurer Jim Chalmers, as well as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s electorate of Dickson.