Related Links

• Department of Pesticide Regulation
• USDA/APHIS
• National Agricultural Pest Information System
• Texas Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Project
• FORMIS Bibliography
• Imported Fire Ants by Timothy C. Lockley
• First Aid for Bites
• First Aid for Children for fire ant bites

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Red Imported Fire Ant Program Goals

The overall goal of the Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) program is to provide an intensive, coordinated state and community-wide program with a high probability of containing the spread, controlling and/or eradicating the current population, and detecting RIFA as it exists elsewhere in California.

For a current appraisal of the numbers of red imported fire ants being confirmed in your area and local treatment activities, please refer to the county RIFA links available on this site or contact your county agricultural commissioner.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) maintains quarantine regulations and conducts nursery site inspections in heavily infested areas. CDFA continues to maintain contracts with affected local agencies that have primary responsibility for ongoing RIFA survey, treatment and data collection.

Public Service RIFA Video with Huell Howser

High Resolution Version
30 seconds long, 320 X 240 MPEG format, 3.24 MB)

Low Resolution Version
(30 seconds long, 160 X 120 MPEG format, 1.7 MB)

Text version of video: "Huell Howser here to put out the fire -- red imported fire ants! These ants are more than just a nuisance, they're dangerous to everything they come into contact with -- including people. If you and I find and report the location of these ants, we have a good chance of getting rid of them. Just call the Red Imported Fire Ant Hotline: 1-888-4FIREANT. So let's get rid of these dangerous ants, so we can protect California's great quality of life!"

En Español: "Les habla Huell Howser con el propósito de extinguir el fuego -- de la hormiga roja de fuego importada. Estas hormigas no son solo una molestia, sino que también representan un peligro a todo lo que tocan, incluyendo a la gente. Si todos los que encontramos estas hormigas notificamos donde se encuentran, es posible deshacernos de ellas. Simplemente llame al "hotline" de la hormiga roja de fuego importada sin cargo alguno: 1-888-434-7326. Eliminemos estas peligrosas hormigas, para así proteger la alta calidad de vida que se vive en California."