Red fire ants: Victoria stumps up $69.7m to eradicate pest

The Victorian government has stumped up close to $70 million to help the national effort to eradicate the red imported fire ant.

Fire ants are known to attack 50 different crops in the US, disrupt sporting events and force families to abandon barbecues and picnics.

The Victorian government has committed $69.7 million over the next four years to help the national fight against one of the world’s worst invasive pests – the red imported fire ant.

The commitment is part of the $596 million national cost-shared program, aimed at eradicating the pest, which was first detected in Queensland in 2001, spreading into NSW for the first time last month.

Red fire ants are capable of infesting the whole of mainland Australia and most of Tasmania.

The Invasive Species Council reports one study found farmers could expect anywhere from 15 per cent to as much as 95 per cent damage to grain crops if fire ants infested their land.

In the US, farmers report the ants can attack 50 commercial food crops, burrowing through the root systems of citrus, tree nuts, stone fruit, grains and vines, as well as damaging tuber and root crops.

In arid zones the ants are known to nest in switch boxes, damaging electrical and irrigation equipment, as well as building nests that undermine roads.

The ants can also disrupt family barbecues, picnics and sporting events, as they nest on open ground.

Once a colony is disturbed its members recruit hundreds of others in a swarming attack, repeatedly inflicting stings that victims say causes a burning or firey sensation that lasts up to an hour – hence the common name.

Agriculture Victoria is routinely conducting surveillance for the ants, which led to the detection of a queen at a Melbourne nursery in February, on imported plant material from Queensland.

Victorian Agriculture Minister Ros Spence said “we’re taking action now to stop red imported fire ants in their tracks.

“Eradicating this pest requires a national approach and we support the dedicated efforts undertaken by the program to control and eliminate it from Queensland.”

The new funding is in addition to $47.9 million invested by Victoria as part of the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program since 2017.

Anyone who suspects an unusual plant pest or disease is encouraged to make a report online or phone the exotic plant hotline on 1800 084 881.