Fire Ants Found for First Time in Australia’s Largest River System
Published on April 19, 2024
Fire ants have been detected for the first time in the Murray Darling Basin, heightening fears for Australia’s largest and most complex river system. Authorities have confirmed a new detection of the exotic super pest at Oakey, west of Toowoomba. Experts have long feared what could happen if fire ants entered the basin’s waterways, given they can form floating rafts with their bodies and harness river flows to invade new areas. A map of detections, published by the National Fire Ant Eradication Program, puts the Oakey find at the town’s army aviation centre, roughly 4km from Oakey Creek....