Article: RED FIRE ANT DISCOVERED IN VAN NUYS EXTERMINATORS MAY BE HIRED.(News)

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

VAN NUYS - A red fire ant has been discovered in a Van Nuys garden, marking the first appearance of these potentially deadly pests in the city, officials said Monday.

The lone ant was found Jan. 18 in the 7000 block of Cantaloupe Avenue, officials said.

``This is an extremely serious problem,'' Agricultural Commissioner Cato Fiksdal said. ``The ants swarm in the hundreds, and each of those stings is reported to be extremely painful and cause blisters.''

County agricultural officials did not find any more at the home, but they warned that more could appear later, said Richard Iizuka, deputy ...

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