Horror 'fire ant' rafts forming in post-Cyclone flood aftermath

Australian Community Media

Fire ants have been spotted forming large rafts to survive floodwaters in Queensland, as the ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred aftermath raises concerns about the spread of the invasive species. Entire colonies have been filmed floating on debris, preparing to nest on dry land.

Transcript

00:00It's just a boiling little pile of fire ants.

00:03A horror mass of invasive fire ants have been filmed in southeast Queensland,

00:08forming rafts in the floodwaters of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.

00:12Footage from the scenic Rim and northern Gold Coast showed entire colonies

00:16of red imported fire ants floating on debris, ready to create nests on newly dry land.

00:23There's piles of them everywhere,

00:26floating through the waterway, heading to the Logan River.

00:30Experts warn that this phenomenon could have spread fire ants to other regions,

00:34including New South Wales, with the potential for turf and hay carrying the pest across the country.

00:40Fire ants, known for their venomous sting,

00:43pose a serious threat to native wildlife and agriculture.

00:47Yeah, there's one there.

00:49These bloody fire ants, I can actually say they're the most dangerous bloody thing in Australia.

00:54Experts have called for urgent action to curb their spread.

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