【Background】The key measures in managing the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren were to effectively control the spread, and reduce the risk of spread. One of the important expansion ways for S.invicta is via human transportation with turf material. 【Method】We examined the density of live nests, rate of bait trap occupancy, number of workers captured/bait trap, and the rate of infected turf plantation to reveal the infestation by S.invicta at the turf plantations of the cities of Shiji, Zengcheng, Nanshan, and Boluo in Guangdong Province, and on urban lawns of the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Huizhou in Guangdong Province, southern China. 【Result】S.invicta was widely present on turf plantations of Guangdong, and the consequent risk of spread of the ant with the turf was very high. The infestations of the fire ant on turf plantations in different regions varied significantly. In the four surveyed regions, the fire ant at the turf plantations in Boluo, Huizhou was the most serious: the density of live nests was 0.85 ind./100 m2, 56.75% of bait traps captured workers, 16.80 workers were captured/bait trap, and 83.60% of the turf plantations were infected. The smallest values of these parameters were found in Nanshan, Shenzhen, with values of 0.11 ind./100 m2, 9.62%, 0.92 ind./bait, and 24.50%, respectively. The fire ants were common at urban lawns in Guangdong, with the highest infestation in Huizhou, with values of 1.49 ind./100 m2, 10.46%, 14.30 ind./bait, and 62.86%, respectively. Turf grass species had a significant effect on ant infestation. The fire ant infestation was the heaviest for Eremochloa ophiuroides, and the above four indices were 1.40 ind./100 m2, 6.85%, 5.57 ind./bait, and 51.43%, respectively. The fire ant infestations were serious in the old quarters of the city, and lower in the new ones. Most of the fire ants infected the newly planted lawns and pastures. 【Conclusion and significance】The infestation of S.invicta at the turf plantations and urban lawns of Guangdong was very widespread, and the risk for the ant spread and expansion with the turf transportation was very high. The results indicated that turf grass was an important means of spread of this invasive species, and revealed the necessity for turf quarantine procedures.