THE outbreak of invasive fire ants in Australia will force the government to spend millions more within the next ten years.
Australia’s half-billion-dollar program to stop the spread of an invasive species nationwide has not stopped them from spreading and could lead the state government of Queensland to spend half a billion dollars more by 2032.
The imported red fire ants were first detected in Brisbane, Queensland in February 2001 and have since spread to other cities in the past 23 years.
They are highly aggressive and use a venomous sting to attack plants, animals, and humans, making them an environmental and economic threat.
Experts said they could sting 8.6 million people every year once the pests become endemic to Australia.
These invasive pests also pose a major threat to agriculture and biosecurity.
They will cost the Australian economy $1.2bn to $2bn a year if left unchecked and out of control, according to a report by Biosecurity Queensland.
Experts warned that fire ants alone are worse than rabbits, cane toads, and feral cats combined.
