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HISTORY OF IMPORTED FIRE ANTS: Imported Fire Ants (IFA) were accidentally introduced into the United States from South America, beginning in about 1918. Solenopsis richteri or the black IFA was the first of two species of fire ants to be introduced via shipping into Mobile, Alabama. Another species of fire ant (Solenopsis invicta or the red IFA) also became established in the Mobile area by the early 1940’s. The most common of the two species is the red IFA, which is now established in all or part of 13 states and Puerto Rico. The black IFA is found in a relatively small area comprising a part of northeastern Mississippi, northwestern Alabama, and southern Tennessee, with a hybrid of the red and black IFA being found near this region. The first confirmed sighting of IFA in Tennessee was an isolated infestation in Shelby County in 1948, which was quickly eradicated. Natural migration of IFA was first documented in Tennessee in Hardin County in 1987. Now, much of southern Tennessee is infested with IFA. Tennessee Imported Fire Ant Areas by County. Imported Fire Ants look very much like ordinary ants. They are between a tenth and a fourth of an inch in size with an array of many sizes within this range and reddish brown to black in color. Imported Fire Ants are very aggressive when disturbed and cause a painful sting that produces a small white pustule about 8-24 hours following the sting. Fire ant colonies build mounds that may be 10 inches or more in height, 15 inches or more in diameter, and 3 feet or more in depth. A fire ant mound contains a queen (In some areas outside of Tennessee, there may be many queens in a colony), workers, and immatures (egg, larva, pupa). When the colony population is sufficiently large, winged males and females are produced. At a time of favorable weather conditions, a mating flight occurs, after which the queens that survive begin new colonies. A new colony is generally less than a mile away from the colony of origin, but is occasionally 10 miles or more away. In heavily infested areas single queen colonies can reach densities of 20-50 mounds per acre. Contact your County Extension Agent or the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Regulatory Services, Plant Certification Section for assistance in identifying potential Imported Fire Ants. ECONOMIC IMPACT OF FIRE ANTS IN TENNESSEE: Imported Fire Ants cause harm and economic losses in a variety of ways. Stings from fire ants inflict intense pain to millions of Americans each year with thousands requiring medical treatment. A small number of people develop a life-threatening allergic reaction to IFA stings. The number of human fatalities resulting from IFA stings is not known due to lack of documentation. However, there have been confirmed deaths due to IFA in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Imported Fire Ants also attack and kill domestic animals and wildlife as well as destroy seedling corn, soybeans, and other crops. Fire ant mounds can damage farm equipment and lawn mowers. IFA are attracted to electrical equipment and chew on insulation, resulting in short circuits and interference with switching mechanisms. Fire ants can shut down air conditioners, traffic signal boxes, and even airport runway lights. Approximately $2 billion in damage, including costs for insecticide for fire ant suppression and eradication, is caused by IFA in the United States each year. IMPORTED FIRE ANT QUARANTINE: Imported Fire Ants spread into new areas through natural mating flights and through artificial (man-aided) movement of infested products such as sod, baled hay, soil (alone and with other material), plants (excluding house plants) and used earth moving equipment. The rate of spread through natural mating flights is relatively slow in comparison to movement through man-aided means. In 1958, the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA, APHIS), enacted a Federal Imported Fire Ant Quarantine (7CFR301) to slow the artificial spread of Imported Fire Ants from fire ant infested (quarantined) areas to non-infested (non-quarantined) areas. The Imported Fire Ant Quarantine includes all of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Puerto Rico, most of South Carolina, and parts of Arkansas, California, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and Tennessee. USDA IFA Map Within Tennessee, all or parts of 52 counties are quarantined for Imported Fire Ants. The Tennessee Imported Fire Ant Quarantine Rule (Adobe Acrobat Reader required) was established in 1990. Surveys are conducted annually to determine the extent of natural northward migration and to increase the quarantined areas when necessary. Tennessee Imported Fire Ant Areas by County (Adobe Acrobat Reader required). MATERIALS REGULATED BY THE IFA QUARANTINE: The following regulated articles require a certificate or permit before they can be shipped outside the quarantined area:
REQUIREMENTS FOR GROWERS CONCERNING THE IFA QUARANTINE: Under a compliance agreement, a nurseryman in a quarantined area is required to treat regulated articles with USDA/APHIS approved fire ant control products and procedures prior to shipment to non-quarantined counties. Compliance agreements are available by contacting Gray Haun, Plant Certification Section Administrator, at the Nashville office by e-mail at Walker.Haun@state.tn.us, by phone at (615)-837-5338, or by fax at (615)-837-5246. Imported Fire Ant 2007: Quarantine Treatments for Nursery Stock and Other Regulated Articles (APHIS Program Aid No. 1904) contains detailed information about treatment options. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required). TRANSPORTATION Of REGULATED ITEMS FROM QUARANTINED TO NON-QUARANTINED AREAS:
Consequences Of Breaking The Imported Fire Ant Quarantine: Since the Imported Fire Ant quarantine is a federal law, violations of the quarantine are considered federal offenses, and these cases would be subject to federal prosecution. In addition to this, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Regulatory Services, Plant Certification Section has civil penalty authority in Imported Fire Ant quarantine violation cases. What Can I Do If I Buy Products Infested With Imported Fire Ants?
The Imported Fire Ant and Its Control - http://msucares.com/insects/fireants/index.html
2007 Tennessee Imported Fire Ant
Quarantine Areas (Adobe Acrobat Format) |
To
prevent the spread of Imported Fire Ants regulated items may not be moved from
quarantined areas to non-quarantined areas unless accompanied by a document that
certifies certain procedures have been met to ensure that these items are
apparently free from Imported Fire Ants. A state certificate and/or USDA shield
must accompany each shipment. This
would not apply to a homeowner purchasing a plant from their local store. However, the local vendor in a non-quarantined area should have a
certificate stating that the plants have been treated or are apparently fire ant
free if they were purchased from a nursery in a quarantined area. Procedures for the movement of other items such as baled hay differ
somewhat. 
Contact
an office of the 
