Plant Industry - Imported Fire Ant
Imported Fire Ant Program
The imported fire ant (IFA) 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 81 of North Carolina's 100 counties are considered generally infested with of North Carolina's 100 counties are considered generally infested with one or more species of imported fire ant, including either red (RIFA, Solenopsis invicta), black (BIFA, Solenopsis richteri) and/or hybrids of the two species (IFA, Solenopsis invicta x richteri). 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, view the Quarantine Treatment guide.
Sections of the USDA Quarantine Treatment Guide are portioned out below for ease of reading. The publication has not been updated since 2015 and the links do not work, but the text information is still current. Please visit the USDA-APHIS-PPQ web page for the most up-to-date information on federal requirements: Imported Fire Ants.
- General Information
- List of Regulated Articles, Statutory Authorities Enabling Quarantine Action
- Authorized Insecticides
- Approved Treatments
- Certification of Regulated Articles; Recordkeeping; Mitigative Measures; Protocol for Collecting Potting Media for Bulk Density Determination
- State Regulatory Officials
- USDA State Plant Health Directors
Nurseries seeking bulk density determinations may use this protocol.
For additional information see: