As the imported red fire ant continues its march through North Carolina, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services officials are expanding the quarantine zone to include all of Granville, as well as portions of Person and Caswell counties, effective Jan. 1, 2022.

That means that residents and business owners in these counties will need to obtain a permit before moving plants, sod and related equipment into or through non-infested areas. Certificates can be obtained from a local plant protection specialist or by contacting the Plant Protection Section at 800-206-9333 or 919-707-3730.

Items requiring a permit include nursery stock, sod, soil, hay and straw, logs or pulpwood with soil, and soil-moving equipment, according to information from NCDA.  Also, the movement of any other products, items or infested materials that present a risk of spread from areas that have fire ants to non-infested areas is prohibited.

“Failure to obtain the needed inspections and certifications may result in the issuance of a stop-sale notice and rejection or destruction of the regulated article,” said Bill Foote, director of the NCDA&CS plant industry division.  “Fire ants can be harmful to humans and livestock. It is important we continue proactive efforts to slow down fire ant movement into non-infested areas of the state.”

Fire ants can be found in the majority of the state’s 100 counties; most recently, fire ants have been confirmed in Jackson and Madison counties in the western part of the state.

The imported fire ant was first identified in Brunswick County in 1957. As it spread and became established, it was recognized as an aggressive pest of farmlands, pastures, residential areas and wildlife, Foote said. The imported fire ant is considered to be a nuisance and a health concern to humans, livestock and wildlife due to its painful sting.

For a map of the quarantine area, visit  https://www.ncagr.gov/plantindustry/Plant/entomology/documents/Imported_Fire_Ant_2022_Quarantine_Expansion_Proposal.pdf