They are tiny ants, less than a quarter of an inch in size. But, Red Imported Fire Ants can not only be destructive, they can be dangerous. They are native to South America, but over the decades have been accidentally imported into parts of the United States.
Now, there's an active infestation in Montecito,
"They will bite and sting, and if someone is very sensitive, they might have a reaction to that," said Santa Barbara County Deputy Agricultural Commissioner Stephanie Stark. The ants actually create their own venom.
Stark said with infestations in parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties which have led to nursery plant quarantines, they’ve been on the lookout for the ants. They pose a big threat to the agricultural industry because a major find could mean a quarantine of nursery products.
She said in September of 2023, they caught some infected nursery stock shipped from Riverside County to Montecito. The infected plants were returned, but apparently enough of the ants got into the soil to found a colony in Santa Barbara County
Continued monitoring of the area turned up the infestation. Stark said county agricultural officials are working with their state and federal counterparts to eradicate the infestation. But, they are asking for the community's help in being aware of the potential spread of the ants.
It’s can be hard to pick out Red Imported Fire Ants from other ants. But, the experts say if you think you have them, don’t try to catch them. You should contact the Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioner’s office.
The ants have been an issue in California for more than three decades. It’s not the first time Santa Barbara County has faced them. It happened about seven years ago. But, the goal is to eradicate the infestation before it can spread, and force a destructive and expensive widespread quarantine.
