Posted on 07/25/2024 6:28:25 AM PDT by Red Badger
Agricultural officials in Southern California are battling an active infestation of red imported fire ants that are "highly aggressive in nature," and pose a risk to California's agricultural economy.
The infestation occurred at a private property in Montecito, in Santa Barbara County, according to a recent press release from the Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissionerβs Office.
Located over 90 miles north of Los Angeles, Montecito is best known as a celebrity enclave with Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle among the town's residents.
Officials did not name the owners of the private property.
Venom released from the ants' stings can cause "painful pustules on the skin, and can be particularly dangerous, even fatal, to sensitive groups or those with an allergy to the venom," officials said in the July 18 release.
Red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta, pose "an immediate threat" to California's agricultural economy because they require a quarantine of nursery products, officials said.
The ant species is native to South America but has established populations in parts of Southern California, particularly in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties. The first recorded presence of the species in California was in 1984.
Siavash Taravati, an entomologist and integrated pest management advisor with the University of California's Cooperative Extension offices, noted the distinction between this species of ants and ants native to California.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Maybe we could plant colonies at major officials front yards...................
We’ve seen these ants in So Cal.
We’re also battling an infestation of non-native mosquitos that have made sitting outside an absolute hell. They arrived around 2010. They are so terrible people are screening off their porches and backyards.
“Aedes albopictus, another invasive species, has also become established in California. Like other invasive Aedes mosquitoes, it is a concern due to its ability to transmit diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya, and Zika virus.”
The biggest threat to California’s agriculture is its government.
Welcome to FLORIDA..................
Are they gi-ants?
And mine......................
Just spray each car with Sevin Dust..................
Officials battle 'highly aggressive' red imported fire ant infestation in Southern California
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That works with your standard sweet ants, but not fire ants. At least that's the case here in Central Texas. A stronger bait is needed for fire ants.
welcome to florida ya bunch of pansies. useless these things weight 1/4# apiece, they’re just fire ants. Walmart sells fire ant mound destroyer. sheeese
When I lived on the farm, I noticed that the big red ant mounds had no fire ant mounds within hundreds of yards. The big reds are mostly docile. I would always feed them scraps that the dogs wouldn’t eat.
I have also witnessed armadillos dug into fire ant mounds munching on whatever the fire ants had stored inside the mound.
Diatomaceous earth and borax will kill fire ants. So will dry or liquid horticultural molasses.
One of the best ways to alleviate the stings is a dip in a chlorinated swimming pool or bathtub.
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A small cup of bleach will kill the mound......................
LOL, have family in the woods in Indiana and Michigan. The joke is you lose a quart of blood walking out to the mailbox.
Indiana relatives have a screened in porch but they somehow manage to get in, they are so bloodthirsty.
A “crisis”? Aren’t these the same that have infested Texas for ages? They have moved north of the Red River now and getting more tolerant of the colder weather every year.
Them!
I’ve heard about the crazy ants- π€ͺ sounds like the beefed up fireant is a serious threat - lots of people allergic to them anaphylaxis I guess? Florida getting lots of nasty stuff with bugs, lizards, nasty fish, snakes, pythons etc.
We live up north near border, and my bro inlaw brought home a black widow he found in a pile of lumber for the house they were building. Not good- but I guess they don’t tolerate cold too well? Anyway, be careful around the ants- even peip,e that aren’t allergic can become allergic- not to mention that they overwhelm their victims with numbers-
A few years ago a little girl in Navarre was killed by fire ants here.........
Actually, fire ants are a good thing to have in the garden if you are raising plants like corn or tomatoes that fall victim to worm infestation.
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