News this morning that fire ants are now in the Murray darling basin, How long is it going to take for pollies to get serious and commit some massive funding for eradication before we make the same mistake as the US, and dither to the point that eradication is no longer possible?
If we wait too long, our nomadic lifestyle will be changed forever.
Keith P said
04:31 PM Apr 26, 2024
It is also the apathy of joe public in reporting them wherever they are.
Not gunna bother me / not my problem mentality these days unfortunatly.
Cheers Keith
Izabarack said
08:41 PM Apr 26, 2024
Fire Ant Eradication team members have a job for life if they do a poor job. Five weeks from reporting to action at my place just this month. A couple of present chap pies turned up, had a look at the nests I had found, found a couple more, then spread a bit of bait around. Told to report again if they are still here in three weeks. Property next door had 53 nests by the time anyone turned up to treat. Still got at least 5 active nests and having to buy bait now. The guys who came to my property let on the long lead time is down to a backlog of 4600 reports outstanding, with more coming in every day.
Cupie said
09:48 PM Apr 30, 2024
I lived in an area of Brisbane that was fire ant declared for many years.
In the early days the eradication team was very active, wandering about putting flags in nests and warning signs all about the place.
Haven't seen them for years but it seems that the area is still declared.
BTW .. I have never seen a fire ant nest (except at public education displays) despite being very watchful.
dorian said
07:32 AM May 1, 2024
When I was still in school, there was a campaign to eradicate Argentine ants. We were taught how to recognise and report them. How did that turn out?
Sarco Harris said
09:12 PM May 1, 2024
I believe fire ants were first detected in the Port of Brisbane in 2001 and that even at that time they may have been there (in QLD) for 20 odd years.
I recall a mate of mine in the Army mentioning them as being a problem where he lived in inner Brisbane in 1996. Therefore I would suggest that there is little likelihood of the spread being halted and/or the fire ants being eliminated.
News this morning that fire ants are now in the Murray darling basin, How long is it going to take for pollies to get serious and commit some massive funding for eradication before we make the same mistake as the US, and dither to the point that eradication is no longer possible?
If we wait too long, our nomadic lifestyle will be changed forever.
It is also the apathy of joe public in reporting them wherever they are.
Not gunna bother me / not my problem mentality these days unfortunatly.
Cheers Keith
Fire Ant Eradication team members have a job for life if they do a poor job. Five weeks from reporting to action at my place just this month. A couple of present chap pies turned up, had a look at the nests I had found, found a couple more, then spread a bit of bait around. Told to report again if they are still here in three weeks. Property next door had 53 nests by the time anyone turned up to treat. Still got at least 5 active nests and having to buy bait now. The guys who came to my property let on the long lead time is down to a backlog of 4600 reports outstanding, with more coming in every day.
I lived in an area of Brisbane that was fire ant declared for many years.
In the early days the eradication team was very active, wandering about putting flags in nests and warning signs all about the place.
Haven't seen them for years but it seems that the area is still declared.
BTW .. I have never seen a fire ant nest (except at public education displays) despite being very watchful.
I recall a mate of mine in the Army mentioning them as being a problem where he lived in inner Brisbane in 1996. Therefore I would suggest that there is little likelihood of the spread being halted and/or the fire ants being eliminated.