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.
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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.