Queensland (Australia) - There is a huge problem with the invasive red fire ant in Queensland , Australia. Since the beginning of March, several people have had to be hospitalized due to stings. If nothing is done, the whole country could eventually be overrun by the animals .

The red fire ant originally comes from South America. Its sting causes pustules, sometimes allergic reactions and can even be fatal to humans.

The problem has existed for years, but most recently the population spread rapidly due to the slow-moving tropical storm a few weeks ago, as ABC Rural reports.

The heavy rainfall does not pose a threat to the fire ants. They can form a so-called ant raft: A grouping of several animals with which they can stay on the surface of the water without any problems.

With the help of the currents created by the rain, they were able to spread to all corners of the state.

The increasing spread of fire ants has led to more and more dangerous attacks on humans and livestock.

Since the beginning of March, there have already been 60 cases of extreme reactions to the stings, with those affected requiring medical attention - 23 of them even had to go to hospital.

"They're just everywhere, they crawl across patios, they get into our houses, they get picked up on the lawnmower or the tractor," Scott Rider, a farm worker from Logan, told ABC Rural.

Ebony Britton, a woman from the town of Greenbank, also reported terrible experiences.

Her son has already had to go to the emergency room twice due to anaphylactic shock. As if that wasn't enough, one day she had to cope with a tragic discovery: Her little puppy was lying dead on an anthill.

To combat the red fire ant, there is already an eradication zone that stretches over ten kilometers. Inside this is a 650,000-hectare area, a control zone in which landowners are supposed to deal with the problem themselves.

According to ABC, this approach is now being abandoned and additional funding of around 14 million euros is to be provided for pest control.