Fire ant alarm is hitting new heights after the invasive pests were found in a new region hundreds of kilometres from their main infestation site.
Nests of the damaging insects discovered at mining giant BHP’s Broadmeadow coal mine in central Queensland were destroyed on Wednesday.
The discovery at the mine near Moranbah, about 150km inland from Mackay, is the first in central Queensland and concerns are escalating the ants are no longer restricted to their southeast Queensland epicentre.
An immature nest of the insects was found on July 2 on a property in Tweed Heads on the NSW far-north coast and a 5km containment zone was established.
The Invasive Species Council said the breach of biosecurity controls in Queensland was a “spectacular failure” caused by delays to funding increases.
“‘This outbreak at Broadmeadow is almost 800km from the known infestation zone – that’s simply unacceptable,” the council’s advocacy manager Reece Pianta said.
“Australia’s last chance to eradicate deadly fire ants is being destroyed because Australia’s governments are dithering and delaying critical funding increases.”
Known for their painful stings, fire ants attack livestock, people and pets.
They are considered one of the worst invasive species to reach Australia, potentially causing more economic damage than cane toads, rabbits and feral cats combined.
Fire ants travel in materials such as hay and soil and high-risk materials from the southeast Queensland epicentre are restricted.
The ants are projected to slash agricultural output in Australia by 40 per cent if left unchecked.
Queensland Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett said an incident response team was immediately sent to the mine site.
“Program staff are working diligently to destroy the nests in question and determine how the ants reached this location,” he said
BHP and the National Fire Ant Eradication Program have been contacted for comment.
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