Much as I agree with the need to eradicate the red imported fire ant or RIFA (Solenopsis invicta), there is no need to misreport or sensationalise. The baby that died in the day care centre in America (Letters, January 8) was not killed by a swarm of RIFAs but of fatal anaphylaxis due to a native Arizona fire ant (Solenopsis xyloni) sting. Newspaper reports at the time, including the SMH, did report that the baby was ‘covered in black ants that had bitten her hundreds of times’ but all we really know is that some ants were found in the crib and that a post-mortem examination revealed approximately 40 erythematous lesions.
Also I’m not saying fire ants can’t kill. The Invasive Species Council states: ‘They have caused the death of 85 people (in the USA), all dying from anaphylactic shock.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
