Red ants, media apparently gone from Rialto football field
The red imported fire ant problem apparently behind it, Rialto High's football team can now focus on its next challenge - the Citrus Belt League season.
Rialto, following a bye this week, is scheduled to host unbeaten Miller on Oct. 3.
That game should go on, despite the recent invasion of the Knight field by the biting red ants.
A private company was brought in by the Rialto Unified School District on Tuesday and chemicals were used to treat the approximate two mounds of fire ants on the football field and two more on the baseball field, district spokesperson Syeda Jafri said.
"The area was quarantined and the chemicals were applied to two small areas," Jafri said. "We expect people will be able to cheer on the Knights next Friday against Miller."
Jafri said Monday it was a 12-hour process to eradicate the fire ants, but that a full 24 hours was allotted, just to be on the safe side.
The problem was discovered last Wednesday when a groundskeeper kicked a mound on the football field and the ants swarmed out.
Upon further examination by school officials, red ants were also found on the baseball field.
The infested area of the football field was fenced off, while the baseball field was already fenced and locked up tight.
The school also informed the parents, since bites by red ants are painful, can cause blisters and would be a health hazard if a victim is allergic, said Les Greenberg, a UC Riverside entomologist.
"It's not pleasant to be stung by these ants," Greenberg said.
"They're like an Africanized version of ants," RUSD grounds supervisor Brian Montez said. ""They're not anything that you want to get on your shoe or your hand."
The Knight football team has made do by practicing on alternate fields.
The story, which originally appeared on this blog Monday and then in the San Bernardino Sun on Tuesday, caused a bit of a media swirl. Here are links to other media coverage of the event:
KTLA 5: http://www.ktla.com/content_landing_page/?Red-Ants-Invade-Rialto-Highs-New-Footbal=1&blockID=66593&feedID=171
FOX 11:
http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7499998&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1
CBS 2/9: http://cbs2.com/video/?id=78076@kcbs.dayport.com
Story tips? Contact John Murphy at berdooman@aol.com or 909-633-4829.
The world is collasping, the real estate market is in the dumper, the stock market is taking a nose-dive, but--by gosh--the red ants have disappeared from Rialto High School's football field! I guess we can all ready easy, now.
Fortunately the school acted quickly and no kids who might by allergic to bites from red ants were victimized - since that can result in a serious health issue. If that were my kid, I'd be concerned.