RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia's Imported Fire Ant Quarantine was expanded Wednesday to include Chesterfield and the Tri-Cities after the invasive species was discovered in those areas.
"Once established, the imported fire ant has the potential to spread to uninfested areas, either through natural means or through human-assisted movement of infested articles," an announcement from VDACS reads. "Expansion of the quarantine is necessary to slow the spread of this insect pest to un-infested areas of the Commonwealth."
uninfested
Imported fire ants can damage crops, agricultural equipment, and impact wildlife. They can also cause allergic reactions, including rare instances of anaphylactic shock in humans.
The expansion also includes Lee, Nottoway, Pittsylvania, Prince George, Surry, and the City of Danville.
Under the quarantine, regulated articles are prohibited from moving out of the quarantined area unless they are certified as free of imported fire ants. Some of those regulated articles are:
- Any life stage of imported fire ant.
- Soil (except soil shipped in original containers after commercial preparation).
- Plants with roots with soil attached and rhizomes with soil attached.
- Grass sod.
- Used soil-moving equipment (unless free of all non-compacted soil).
- Used farm equipment (unless free of all non-compacted soil).
- Hay and straw stored in direct contact with the ground.
- Honey bee hives stored in direct contact with the ground.
- Logs and pulpwood with soil attached.
Businesses located in quarantined localities that ship to locations outside the quarantined area are required to follow the USDA-approved treatment and shipping options outlined in the Quarantine Treatments for Nursery Stock, Grass Sod, and Related Materials manual.
Businesses may enter into a compliance agreement with VDACS to facilitate shipping those regulated articles in accordance with the quarantine. To see if your location is in the Virginia Imported Fire Ant Quarantine, view the most updated map here.
For more information on the quarantine, visit the VDACS website.
Have you spotted any fire ant nests in Chesterfield or the Tri-Cities? Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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