Invasive Fire Ants Jump Border From Queensland to NSW

Fire ants have jumped the Queensland border into New South Wales (NSW) for the first time since the infestation began. The NSW Department of Primary Industries confirmed on Saturday three red imported fire ant nests were found in South Murwillumbah, 13 kilometres from the Queensland border in the state’s northeast. “This is the first fire ant detection in northern NSW and presumed to be the most southern report of fire ants from the Queensland infestation,” the department said in a statement. Crews are on site working to chemically eradicate the infestation across a radius of 200 metres from the nests. An emergency biosecurity control order dictates all businesses and residents within a five kilometre radius of the South Murwillumbah site must restrict the movement of mulch, woodchips, compost, sand, gravel, soil, hay and other baled products....