They can also discourage tourism and recreational activities. In some areas, it is impossible to sit in the grass or stand on a shoreline to fish without being stung. This situation discourages tourism and poses liability concerns to owners and managers of public areas. In RIFA infested areas ants can prevent hand harvest of fruit crops, where efficient, legal, controls are limited. Current treatments may be applied only to borders and other non-crop, areas of a field.
Losses are high, for instance.
Most cases had multiple injuries. Over half the deaths were cattle. In general, as the RIFA invades an area, the diversity and abundance of native arthropods and vertebrates plummets. RIFA have been implicated in numerous fish kills throughout the southeast. Restricted outdoor use.