Plant Industry - Plant Protection Section
Entomological Services
Red Imported Fire Ant Program
The red imported fire ant (RIFA) is a nuisance and health concern to humans, livestock, and wildlife due to its painful sting. The red imported fire ant was first detected in the United States in Alabama in 1918. It was first identified in the southeastern part of North Carolina in Brunswick County in 1957.
Portions or entire areas of 77 of North Carolina's 100 counties are considered generally infested with red imported fire ants. The NCDA&CS issues certification and compliance agreements to individuals and industries engaged in the movement of potentially contaminated commodities to reduce man assisted movement of these ants.
For information regarding regulated articles, authorized pesticides, approved treatment options for shipping regulated articles from a quarantine area, such as nursery stock, grass, sod, greenhouse grown plants, and blueberries, and other fruit and nut nursery stock click here.
For additional federal Imported Fire Ant information regarding movement of regulated articles click here.
Imported Fire Ant:
Quarantine Treatment for Nursery Stock,
Grass Sod, and Related Materials
(Full manual here)
- General Information
- List of Regulated Articles, Statutory Authorities Enabling Quarantine Action
- Authorized Insecticides
- Approved Treatments
- Nursery Stock – Containers
- Nursery Stock – Field Grown and Balled-and-Burlapped (B&B) Stock
- Grass Sod; Greenhouse-Grown Plants; Blueberries and Other Fruit and Nut Nursery Stock; Soil Samples
- Certification of Regulated Articles; Recordkeeping; Mitigative Measures; Protocol for Collecting Potting Media for Bulk Density Determination
- State Regulatory Officials
- USDA State Plant Health Directors
For nurseries seeking bulk density determinations please click here.
Moving Baled Hay from Areas Under Quarantine for Imported Fire Ant
For additional information see:
