Fire Ant Quarantine Rules Declared in Two Counties

Signaling further spread of the invading fire ant, a state quarantine was declared Thursday in small portions of Los Angeles and Riverside counties where the swarming, biting pest has been detected.

The action came just one week after all Orange County was placed under quarantine in hopes of controlling the ant, a South American native that can hurt people, livestock and wildlife. More than 50 square miles of Orange County are known to be infested with the ants.

The new quarantine areas include 4.5 square miles in the Cerritos area in Los Angeles County, where ants were found last month. In Riverside County, 38 square miles are covered, including parts of Indio, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Bermuda Dunes and Moreno Valley.

The quarantine rules are targeted at nurseries, since ant colonies can be transported in soil around the roots of plants and trees. The state will forbid movement of uninspected soil and nursery plants and probably will require inspection of all businesses that sell plants.

Officials are considering whether the local infestation can be eliminated, possibly with the aerial application of an ant growth inhibitor. Some experts warn, however, that the ants are so entrenched that they cannot be removed completely.

Residents may report suspicious ants or mounds by calling (800) 491-1899. More information can be found on the state Department of Food and Agriculture Web site at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Moving Target

Parts of Los Angeles and Riverside counties were declared quarantine areas Thursday as California agriculture officials attempt to stem the spread of red imported fire ants. the state’s first countywide quarantine was declared last week in Orange County