Cyclone Alfred Spurs Fire Ant Rafts in Queensland

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Fire ants form floating "rafts" after Cyclone Alfred hit Queensland, allowing entire colonies to survive floods and spread to new areas.

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Viral footage shows masses of ants clinging together on floodwaters, with worker ants carefully protecting eggs in the center of these living rafts.

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Ipswich resident Greg Locke suffered over 30 painful stings while cleaning flood debris, calling the unexpected ant invasion worse than the flood damage itself.

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NSW officials quickly banned hay and other materials from Queensland to block these dangerous invaders from crossing the border through human transport.

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The economic threat looms large, with experts warning fire ants could cost Australia over $2 billion annually if their spread continues unchecked.

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Already infesting 700,000 hectares around Brisbane since arriving in 2001, fire ants now threaten to become Australia's most destructive invasive species.

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Start killing them fast. Otherwise, this whole south-east corner, we're going to be screwed," warns Locke as authorities ramp up the $95 million eradication effort.

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The National Fire Ant Eradication Program faces a 2032 deadline to eliminate these pests as public sightings spike dramatically after recent flooding.

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Experts note this year's ant rafts appear larger than ever before, indicating growing colony sizes and higher infestation densities throughout flood zones.

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