Imported fire ants have been discovered at Port Bontany, Sydney, Australia.
ABC Online reported New South Wales (NSW) Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson as saying that fire ants are capable of inflicting serious bites on people and livestock.
Hodgkinson said: “They also pose an economic and environmental threat, through attacking young animals (farm animals and native fauna) and by invading food and water sources.
“That is why the Commonwealth and NSW Governments have responded so quickly, deploying entomologists and bio security officers to the location to immediately determine the extent of the detection.
“We detected the red fire ants, and a control centre has been set up.
“We don't have them in NSW and these ants have a particularly nasty bite. We are hopeful we can contain them.”
Port Botany in Fire Ant Turmoil. (Source: Maritime Executive)