Notification of Expansion of Imported Fire Ant Quarantine – Late May 2025

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) will be expanding the Virginia Imported Fire Ant Quarantine in late May 2025. The counties of Chesterfield, Lee, Nottoway, Pittsylvania, Prince George, and Surry and the independent cities of Colonial Heights, Danville, Hopewell, and Petersburg will be added to the regulated areas under the Virginia Imported Fire Ant Quarantine.

You may recall the first fire ant infestation was detected in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1989. In 2009, the fire ant quarantine was established in Virginia and included much of the tidewater area. From 2017 to 2022 survey data indicated fire ants were spreading and the quarantine was expanded in 2019 and again in 2022. The current quarantine covers 12 counties and 11 independent cities in the southeast and central part of the state.

Click HERE to view the VDACS notice regarding the expanded fire ant quarantine. Below view a map indicating where the quarantine bounds will be expanded to in late May of 2025.

For more information regarding the Important Fire Ant, please click here.