Agricultural News
Threats Posed by Imported Fire Ants Explained at Upcoming Information Meeting Hosted by ODAFF
Tue, 03 Oct 2017 11:01:35 CDT
Representatives from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) will host a second informational meeting regarding Imported Fire Ants (IFA) at 10 a.m., Oct. 10 in Gate, Okla.
The meeting, presented by ODAFF's Consumer Protection Services (CPS), will be held at Midwest Crop Protection SVC, located at 401 Texas in Gate. CPS welcomes anyone interested in attending, especially those who received or stored hay during the disaster relief efforts following the Northwest Oklahoma Complex Fires. Samples submitted by attendees of the first meeting resulted in one positive find. We are grateful for the hay donated from all over the country, but now we need to ensure we monitor any fire ant expansion. IFA is a concern for any hay potentially shipped from quarantined areas to non-quarantined areas.
During the informational meeting, CPS will educate attendees on what to look for, how to trap fire ants, and where to send them once they have been trapped. Participants in the informational meeting will also receive a trap kit which will consist of a bait tube and a card detailing what to do and where to send the tube.
IFA were introduced to the United States in the 1930s and first discovered in Oklahoma in the mid-1980s. The invasive insect poses a threat to native ant species, as well as newborn animals and pets. Fall weather creates ideal conditions for IFA trapping, which are most active between 60 and 90°F. ODAFF routinely surveys for IFA along the quarantine line and plans to continue outreach efforts in the northwest part of the state.
Source - Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry
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