By Ramsay                                            H.C.R. No. 259
         76R13716 JHS-D                           
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, Each year, fire ants cost Texans some $300 million,
 1-2     and it is important for the citizens of this state to be aware of
 1-3     the dangers and damage associated with these insects; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, It is believed that these creatures originated in
 1-5     South America and arrived in Mobile, Alabama, on ships in the
 1-6     1930s; the pests quickly spread, reaching Texas in the 1950s, and
 1-7     today the infestation affects some 50 million acres in the eastern
 1-8     two-thirds of our state; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, Both urban and rural areas suffer the effects of
1-10     fire ants, as homeowners attempt to control the damage in their
1-11     lawns and gardens, and farmers and ranchers seek to protect seeds
1-12     and young plants from being fed on by the ants, while also trying
1-13     to prevent the costly destruction of electrical and irrigation
1-14     systems that can be attributed to these pests; and
1-15           WHEREAS, Fire ants cause an estimated $67 million in damage
1-16     annually to the state's beef cattle industry alone; once calves and
1-17     other animals are attacked,  veterinary expenses, decreased animal
1-18     quality, and even blindness and death may result in some cases;
1-19     these insects also alter the ecological balance of our state by
1-20     damaging plants and reducing food sources for native ant species
1-21     and other insects; and
1-22           WHEREAS, To combat this problem, the 75th Texas Legislature
1-23     funded the Texas Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Plan,
1-24     which calls for a coordinated effort among state agencies to
 2-1     address the fire ant problem through educational and regulatory
 2-2     programs and research; the Agricultural Extension Service, the
 2-3     Department of Agriculture, and the Parks and Wildlife Department
 2-4     have teamed up with scientists from The University of Texas at
 2-5     Austin, Texas A&M University, and Texas Tech University to develop
 2-6     an environmentally sound, cost-effective fire ant management
 2-7     program, and the results of this initiative have been positive to
 2-8     date; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, Urban fire ant management is best undertaken on a
2-10     community-wide basis, with neighbors working together to help
2-11     reduce reinvasion of treated areas; late summer through early fall
2-12     is the ideal time of year to initiate fire ant controls, using
2-13     least-toxic, slow-acting, bait-formulated products to treat
2-14     infested areas, thus reducing overuse of more toxic contact
2-15     insecticides on individual ant mounds; and
2-16           WHEREAS, Anyone who has felt the painful sting of a fire ant
2-17     or witnessed the devastation caused by these relentless pests can
2-18     understand the need for the fire ant management plan, and it is in
2-19     the state's best interest to continue to promote greater awareness
2-20     of the fire ant issue among all residents of this state; now,
2-21     therefore, be it
2-22           RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-23     hereby forevermore declare the second week of September Fire Ant
2-24     Awareness Week in Texas and encourage the residents of the Lone
2-25     Star State to educate themselves on the dangers of fire ants and
2-26     the preventive measures available to combat this insect menace.