Dr. Mussman chaired the meeting. Homer Collins, PPQ Imported Fire Ant Station, Gulfport, Mississippi, gave an overview of the fire ant problem.
Fire ants are from South America.
They entered the United states through Mobile, Alabama, probably in soil used for ships' ballast. They were accidentally introduced around the 1930's and have been spreading ever since. Since the 1950's, the ant has been spreading northward, westward, and southward. In Texas they infest the eastern two-thirds of the state, and some urban areas in western Texas. The bad news is that they are probably here to stay.