Fire Ant Warnings Issued in San Fernando Valley

Officials renewed warnings Wednesday about the dangers of red imported fire ants, which attack in swarms when their nests are disturbed, after new colonies were discovered in the western San Fernando Valley.

The 22 mounds found earlier this week in the Carey Ranch development in Sylmar are not the only new sightings of the insect known for invading electrical boxes and stinging humans and animals. Other colonies have been found in Chatsworth and Mission Hills.

Although no red ants have been found in Ventura County, they are probably on their way, said Alan Laird, a deputy commissioner for the area’s agricultural department.

“They may be here,” Laird said. “It’s a threat to agriculture, but it can be a problem for people, especially the elderly and children.”

Laird said agricultural specialists from his office have targeted nurseries in Fillmore and the Santa Rosa Valley near Camarillo because both areas are relatively close to the infestation areas in the San Fernando Valley.

So far checks of golf courses, cemeteries, sod farms--any place where damp soil exists--have not turned up the ants, Laird said.

County inspectors have set up Spam bait traps to catch the ants for further study, Laird said.

“We know they are migratory and they are looking for new territory,” Laird said. “We expect we will be dealing with the problem soon.”

Local nursery operators are working to prevent what could be a financial nightmare to their industry.

“What happens is your nursery gets quarantined and then you can’t export plant material,” said Robert Crudup, senior vice president for Valley Crest Tree Company in Fillmore. “The effort now is about preventing them from arriving. It’s going to be a challenge, especially if they get into the wild areas.”

Since the first mound was found in Sylmar in September, 65 infestations there have been reported to the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner/Weights & Measures Department, the lead agency in eradicating the aggressive ants.

Los Angeles County officials said they would soon begin an aggressive bait treatment program to eradicate the colonies before the arrival of hot weather, which brings out the ants.

“This is a lifestyle-changing pest,” said Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner Cato R. Fiksdal. “You have health, environment, farm and quarantine issues that you would have to deal with if these ants get out of control.”

The pesky insects, which are reddish brown and about one-eighth- to one-quarter inch long, bite into the skin with their pincers and pierce the flesh with a barbed stinger that causes a painful blister.

For people not allergic to the stings and bites, the most serious outcome of an attack is secondary infections. About 30 deaths from allergic reactions have been documented in the United States.

The ants can also invade outdoor sprinkler systems, underground utility boxes and swimming pool pumps, causing major property damage and potentially dangerous situations. Red imported fire ants also are a menace to animals, reptiles and birds, and they can destroy plants, officials said.

“They are very aggressive and defensive when they think there is a danger to their colonies,” Fiksdal said.

If residents or business owners suspect an infestation on their property, they are urged not to take matters into their own hands, Fiksdal said.

Over-the-counter insect repellent only pushes the ants farther underground and does nothing to halt reproduction, Fiksdal said. County exterminators use a meat bait that sterilizes the queen after she ingests it.

“We believe that we can eradicate the ants in California because they are not moving so fast that we can’t keep up with them,” Fiksdal said. “The trick is just finding where they are.”

Currently, Los Angeles County is spending $7 million to exterminate fire ants found at 284 properties.

Infestations of fire ants are particularly serious in Texas and Southeastern states, where officials have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to get rid of the insects.

In Southern California, colonies of fire ants were first seen in the fall of 1998 in the Trabuco Canyon area of Orange County, north of Rancho Santa Margarita.

The highest concentrations of fire ants have been found in communities bordering Orange County. Officials surmise that the ants recently sighted in the San Fernando Valley were carried north on landscaping equipment, soil and plants bound for new housing developments.

Residents who suspect an infestation should not disturb the mound or colony, but should call the toll-free Fire Ant Hotline at 1-888-4FIREANT (1-888-434-7326).

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Times staff writer Timothy Hughes contributed to this story.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

War Against Insects

The pesky insects, which are reddish brown and about one-eighth to one-quarter inch long, attack in swarms when their nests are disturbed. They eat vegetation, invade structures, and sting animals and humans.

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Red Fire Ant

BACKGROUND: The insect is a major problem in Southern California and elsewhere in the southern United States. The ant has an excruciating sting, which in rare cases is deadly. For people not allergic to the stings and bites, the most serious outcome of an attack is secondary infections. About 30 deaths from allergic reactions have been documented.

ORIGIN: South America

CONTROL: A natural enemy that shows promise is the Brazilian phorid fly, which lays its egg inside the ant. The egg becomes a larva that travels to the ant’s head, releasing an enzyme that causes the ant’s head to fall off. The fly was introduced locally in 1999. Researchers are also examining the behavior of the fire ants, especially in relationship to water (they’re attracted to irrigated areas) for clues to controlling their spread. Insecticides are also being studied.

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Areas of infestation

The highest concentrations of fire ants in Los Angeles County have been found in communities bordering Orange County. Officials surmise that the ants were carried on landscaping equipment, soil and plants bound for new housing developments in the San Fernando Valley.

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Why it’s necessary to avoid contact

The ants bite into the skin with their pincers and pierce the flesh with a barbed stinger that causes a painful blister.

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Reporting and disposal

Residents and business owners are urged not to take matters into their own hands if they suspect an infestation on their property.

Over-the-counter insect repellent only pushes red imported fire ants farther underground and does nothing to halt reproduction, a Los Angeles County official said. County exterminators use a meat bait that when ingested by the queen results in sterilization.

Currently, Los Angeles County is sending $7 million to exterminate fire ants found at 284 properties, including residences, commercial buildings, schools, parks, nurseries and golf courses.

Anyone who suspects an infestation should not disturb the mound or colony, but should call the toll-free Fire Ant Hotline at 1-888-4FIREANT

(1-888-434-7326).

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SOURCE: Los Angeles County Dept. of Agriculture and Weights and Measures