Cane Toad found in Kosciuszko National Park

[Rorschach]

been here before we eradicated the other outbreaks... this one is now bigger apparently, but they think they can still eradicate them.

[Neferti]

Here is an ABC article on fire ants from December 2016. Appears they, too, are only in Queensland, thus far.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-08/t ... nt/8100126

[AiA in Atlanta]

Here is an ABC article on fire ants from December 2016. Appears they, too, are only in Queensland, thus far.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-08/t ... nt/8100126

the ants seem to need a certain level of moisture to thrive which will limit their expansion in AUS

[Rorschach]

been here before we eradicated the other outbreaks... this one is now bigger apparently, but they think they can still eradicate them.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/i ... /fire-ants

[AiA in Atlanta]

The Australian media makes out the fire ant to be worse than what it is by quoting someone saying that the Australian lifestyle would be ruined because people can no longer go barefoot in the park. Rubbish. I live with fire ants and go barefoot. On the other hand, it is an invasive species that does wreak havoc and cause damage, one that AUS would do well to eradicate while it still has a chance to do so, regardless of the cost.

[Neferti]

Didn't we "import" the cane toads to get rid of some bug that was affecting the sugar cane "crops"?

What did we "import" fire ants to do? Anybody know offhand (without me having to Google)?

Which ever "authority" that recommends "importing" pests to get rid of other "pests" should be shot.

Look what happened when the British first came to Australia .... they wanted to have Fox Hunts so "imported" those pests, they wanted rabbit stew, so "imported" those too. Plus they thought Patterson's Curse was a pretty purple plant and now that has spread all over.

There are lots of animals, plants and birds that are not native to Australia that have become real pests/noxious weeds.

Pattersons curse is so "pretty" isn't it? I think it kills horses if they eat it.

[Neferti]

Here is a List of Introduced Species. It is almost endless.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_i ... ed_species

The fire ant wasn't imported for any reason, whatsoever, anywhere ... it was accidentally introduced.

The red imported fire ant is native to South America but it has been accidentally introduced in Australia, New Zealand, several Asian and Caribbean countries and the United States.

We also don't need the European wasp!

I also understand that the Great Aussie Redback Spider has found its way to Japan and some other countries. Let's hope we don't send the (deadly) Sydney Funnel web anywhere over the seas, accidentally.

Which reminds me of something ... anybody remember James Dibble of the ABC, a Newsreader? I remember (back in the 70's) him reading the news in Sydney (when the TV News was "live") and he came out with:

"..... and a woman was bitten on the funnel by a fingerweb spider" ....... PRICELESS.

[boxy]

We still import insects and diseases to control pests and weeds (including Paterson's Curse). They're a lot more careful these days.

The toads were a real fuck up. Not only did they go feral, but they also failed to even look at the cane beetles they were intended to control