Imported Fire Ant Program Manual

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Imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta Buren, S. richteri Forel, and their hybrid) have become established across the southeastern states and in parts of California and other western States. Imported fire ants (IFA) pose serious threats to people, small animals, crops, and agricultural equipment, and can be moved to new, non-infested areas by hitchhiking on interstate commodities. To prevent artificial movement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) regulates the movement of articles that present a risk of spreading the IFA to areas not currently infested. The Federal Imported Fire Ant Quarantine was established May 6, 1958 in an effort to slow or prevent the artificial spread of IFA. Today there are 14 states and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico that are all or partially in the Federal Imported Fire Ant Quarantine regulation.