A video showcasing fire ants forming ‘life rafts’ on Queensland floodwaters has rapidly gone viral on social media, raising alarms about the potential spread of this invasive species into New South Wales following ex-Cyclone Alfred.
Footage shared by Allenview resident Kirsty McKenna on Facebook reveals numerous fire ants clumping together on a water surface near her property, a survival tactic to remain alive.
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“There’s piles of them everywhere, floating through the waterway, heading towards the Logan River,” McKenna says in the video.
“You can see the ants moving their eggs around in the pile, trying to get them to the center for protection, clinging to anything just to stay afloat until the floodwaters recede, allowing them to establish a new nest.”
Fire ants are known as an invasive species native to Queensland, posing threats to human health, wildlife, livestock, and agricultural resources. Advocates for managing invasive species are urging state and federal governments to intensify their suppression measures.
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As floodwaters begin to recede, Reece Pianta, Advocacy Manager for Invasive Species Australia, urges the community to remain vigilant and report any fire ant nests they may encounter in backyards, local parks, beaches, or bushland.
Recent heavy rainfall in southern Queensland may exacerbate fire ant infestations, with the risk of ants being transported in materials like turf, potentially threatening other regions of Australia.
“Fire ants form large floating rafts that drift with water currents. Alarmingly, new footage reveals this rafting behavior occurring right now in flood-affected areas with high fire ant populations, including Logan, Scenic Rim, and northern Gold Coast,” Pianta warns.
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In response, the NSW government has announced a ban on fire ant-carrying materials, such as hay, from entering the state from infested and storm-impacted areas of southeast Queensland, in an effort to prevent an infestation.
Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, stated, “The effects of Tropical Cyclone Alfred are being felt in our agricultural sector in the north of the state. They need our support to recover, and we do not want a fire ant incursion adding stress to their recovery efforts.”
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However, according to NSW Chief Invasive Species Officer Scott Charlton, the likelihood of ants simply floating into NSW is “not possible” based on hydrological analysis. Instead, he notes that human activities are the primary concern for potential infestations.
“They will either be transported with materials such as soil, mulch, hay, and turf, or spread naturally from Queensland,” Moriarty added.
Fire ants could impose an economic burden exceeding $2 billion annually on Australia’s economy and may lead to over 650,000 additional medical appointments each year if left unchecked.
“Fire ants rank among the worst invasive pests globally, and their uncontrolled spread will result in economic damage surpassing that caused by cane toads, rabbits, feral cats, and foxes combined,” Pianta emphasized.
He advises individuals to avoid direct contact with ants or their nests if they come across them.
