Australia has six months to contain the spread of a super pest and prevent an ecological and economic disaster, an expert warns.
Heavy infestations of fire ants have been reported in southeast Queensland, with thousands of nests located along the Logan River.
Authorities have been warned the clock is ticking for them to stop fire ants causing devastation across the nation amid fears the problem will get worse during the upcoming storm season.
"If we don't act in the next six months, we'll probably lose our chance to eradicate fire ants," Invasive Species Council Advocacy Manager Reece Pianta told AAP.
"After that, we need to start having a national conversation about how we learn to live with these things, because 98 per cent of Australia is vulnerable to fire ant infestation."
Fire ants are considered one of the worst invasive species to reach Australia, potentially causing more economic damage than cane toads, rabbits and feral cats combined.
Authorities have been battling to stamp out the highly aggressive, exotic insects for more than two decades but in recent years their spread has only intensified.
The discovery of the Logan River infestations has sparked fears of a nation-wide threat this summer, with concerns fire ants may spread via floodwaters.
Mr Pianta said flooding could carry fire ants into agricultural zones, turf farms and residential areas, creating pathways for the pest to move across the country.
"This isn't just about southeast Queensland - it's a national issue," he said.
Known for their painful stings, fire ants pose a risk to humans, native wildlife and the economy.
Originally from South America, fire ants are projected to slash agricultural output in Australia by 40 per cent if unchecked, according to recent data.
The Australia Institute in September warned that without improved eradication efforts, fire ants could cause six deaths and cost households $188 million a year.
They could also cause unknown harm to vulnerable species like koalas, echidnas and turtles.
"Fire ants are an aggressive stinging insect with a high venom load," Mr Pianta said.
"They result in a three-times greater likelihood of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) compared to Australia's native stinging insects."
The National Fire Ant Eradication Program is focusing on systematically treating infestations across a 850,000 hectare area over the next decade.
However, Mr Pianta said the rising nest densities in Queensland government-funded suppression zones are a threat to the program's success.
Suppression zones are areas that sit in the containment boundary but are yet to receive eradication treatment.
"The suppression zone is the Achilles heel of the eradication program," Mr Pianta said.
"We've been saying to the (state) government don't skimp on the suppression work, make sure the nest densities are kept under control while the eradication program is doing its work."
Mr Pianta has called for "emergency" measures to avoid a national outbreak, including systematic property inspections, aerial surveillance using drones and expanded use of detection dogs and ground teams.
However the National Fire Ant Eradication Program has played down the risk of the super pest spreading via floodwaters.
"Flooding and severe weather events do not pose a significant risk of spreading fire ants across significant distances or into new areas," a spokesperson said.
The program plans to eradicate fire ants from Australia by 2032.
Federal, state and territory governments have committed $1.28 billion by 2027 to combat the fire ant menace.
