Extension faculty in many counties will be helping local groups become better informed about controlling the insect. Red imported fire ants first invaded the United States in the 1930s. Ala. With few natural enemies, they quickly spread, reaching Texas in the 1950s. Today the infestation covers more than 50 million acres in the eastern two-thirds of the state. Rural Texans suffer as well.
Fire ants feed on seeds and young plants.
They damage electrical and irrigation systems and prevent harvesting by hand. Fire ants may attack calves and other animals, resulting in increased veterinary expenses, lower animal quality, and at times, blindness or death. Fire ants can be controlled relatively inexpensively in urban areas, Drees said. This program relies on annual or semi-annual broadcast application of one of the effective fire ant bait products. Researchers have determined an ideal time to apply bait is in the fall.