Baled Hay Could Bring Unwanted Pests

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS, is reminding the hay industry to be wary of transporting or receiving bales with fire ants.

Eduardo Varona said these ants can be quite problematic.

“They can build very large mounds, up to two feet in height and horrible problems during harvest because of the fact that people working in the fields can actually get stung. It can get inside the equipment.”

Fire ants can also damage crops of a wide variety.

APHIS has set up quarantine areas for hay and fire ants, so make sure that you are fully aware of any possible changes in our area. You can find more at aphis.usda.gov.