The " Fire Ant " Invasion !

The Fire Ant is a particularly venomous resident of the South American continent and we have been lucky to avoid its invasive tendencies until recently.   That run of good luck came to an end in 2001 when it came ashore concealed in cargo from a south American port and established a colony in Brisbane.

Millions of dollars haver been spent trying to eradicate this pest with little success.  It has extended its range of orbit and is establishing new ground around Ipswich and it is rumoured to have been detected in western Sydney. It comes from the genus " Solenopsis " and we have every reason to fear it because its characteristic is mass attack when aroused.

These ants are often called " Red ants " because of their reddish/brown colour.  They establish underground colonies which spread very quickly.  Where the typical ants we encounter in Australia ignore humans or do little harm the Fire Ant attacks in swarm proportions.  Hundreds of stinging ants emerge from the colony and in South America they are known to cause death if a victim in unable to quickly escape.

If Fire Ants become established in your garden you can forget the usual activities we cherish outdoors.  These ants attack immediately they detect the presence of humans and deliver painful stings that need immediate treatment.  The area surrounding their colony becomes a " No Go " area for children or the family pets.  It is not possible to live in harmony with Fire Ants.

Unfortunately, global warming seems likely to enhance their area of orbit.  When the climate changes it delivers a mixed reaction in the insect world and it seems that a hotter Australia will benefit what we call " Tyrant ants ".  We have always had what we call " Bull ants " and they deliver a painful sting but they are not usually found in domestic gardens.   Should such a colony invade your living space they are usually easy to decimate.

Studies carried out in the Simpson desert indicate that a hotter Australia favours more aggressive ant species even when it is accompanied by either wetter or dryer conditions.  We know that there will be changes to the rain pattern caused by global warming and it seems that hotter days are destined to spread the range of ants that make outdoor living intolerable.  The days of the backyard BBQ are under threat.

Over the years, Fire ants have established themselves on most continents and it seems inevitable that they will eventually arrive in most of the Australian states.   The fact that they now have a home base in Queensland adds urgency to the effort to develop a counter measure.   It is not only Cane Toads that are moving ever south, we now have an ant species that threatens our outdoor way of life.

This could be the biggest threat to suburbia that we have ever faced.  Funding the research to develop a means of eradicating Fire ants could be the best investment we ever made.  That is a need we ignore at our peril  !