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Thursday, June 9, 1983/The Battalion/Page 9
Natural solution urged
for fire ant problem
staff photo by Eric Evan Lee
Four-H art exhibit
lima Fischer, of Buckhoits in Milam County,
>ng with Celeste Glaser, 8, also of Buckhoits,
serve Four-H students art work in the G. Rollie
lite Coliseum Wednesday afternoon. Four-H
idents from all over Texas competed in different
libits.
United Press International
AUSTIN — Because im
ported fire ants cannot be eradi
cated with pesticides, resear
chers should try to develop a
natural parasite to control the
pesky insect, a University of
Texas zoologist says.
But Dr. Lawrence Gilbert
says financing for fire ant re
search is controlled largely by
chemical companies who want to
make a profit and politicians
who want a quick fix for the
problem.
“There’s no incentive to solve
the problem because it doesn’t
make anybody any money,” Gil
bert said. “The chemical com
panies are not interested in
something that can’t be
patented.”
Gilbert, who is director of
UT’s Brackenridge Field Labor
atory, warns that widespread
use of pesticides to kill imported
fire ants could diminish native
ant species, which occur in great
numbers in Texas.
“No pest has ever been eradi
cated,” he said. “That’s virtually
impossible. To do that you’d
have to adopt a scorched earth
policy and get rid of some good
things.
“We have to face the fact that
it’s (imported fire ants) one of
our ants in Texas and the
South,” said Gilbert.
Most researchers are looking
for the “chemically magic bullet”
that will wipe out imported fire
ants, but he said the answer to
long-range control may be in
natural parasites that now pla
gue native ant species.
In native ants, the parasites,
which are phorid flies, complete
their life cycles in the anf s body,
eventually killing the ants.
“The debate is whether these
particular parasites are potential
control agents,” he said. “To
date, very little research money
has gone into studies of the
population biology of ants.”
Gilbert said opponents of pa
rasite research claim it takes too
long, is too expensive and that
parasites tend to affect only the
worker ants and not the queen
ants.
But Gilbert claims that the re
duction of worker ants could
eventually control the fire ants
by reducing the number of
worker ants available to compete
with other ants for food and ter
ritory.
But he said once the use of
pesticides has begun, the cycle is
hard to break because imported
fire ants “are much more effec
tive at re-colonizing than native
species.”
Gilbert said there is no evi
dence that fire ants are econo
mically damaging or dangerous,
blaming the concept on “media
hype.”
“There is no evidence they
are anything more than a nui
sance, but there is political press
ure to do something quick.” he
said.
The ants, which can afflict a
painful sting, were accidentally
imported from South America
through the port of Mobile,
Ala., in 1930.
The mound-building ants
reached east Texas in 1956 and
now range across 112 of the
state’s 254 counties. They have
also infested all or part of Alaba
ma, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina and
Puerto Rico.
More than $250 million has
been spent on fire ant insecti
cides, but Gilbert said the spread
of the insects has continued.
The latest chemical touted,
Pro-Drone, is being tested by the
state Agriculture Department
on large plots of land in south
Texas. The substance kill ants by
interrupting their reproduction
cycle.
“My objection to Pro-Drone is
that it doesn’tjust kill fire ants, it
kills other ants,” said Gilbert.
“They (native ants) are the most
resistance (that imported fire
ants have). If you wipe out all the
competition, guess who’ll come
back?”
TEXAS STYLE ROCK & ROLL
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
Open Bar 7-9
No Cover for Ladies until 9 p.m.
SUNDAY—
Beach Night
with a
$ 300 Legs contest
for the Ladies.
TEXAS STYLE ROCK & ROLL
Post Oak Mall
abor Department apologizes
r statements to Gov. White
;es!
jting soul
United Press International
STIN — The U.S. Labor
irtment apologized to Gov.
Ik White for remarks made
its regional director in Dallas,
ligthe criticism of the Legisl-
ijire’s failure to extend the life
the Texas Employment Corn-
proposal fission was “premature and in-
e thisio.hpropriate.”
n a venjFloyd Edwards, regional
inistrator, was quoted last
e adminiitiek as saying the federal gov-
avor anyiiment would not assume
;ludmgs»|5C’s duties or absorb its 4,200
industry, pployees should the state
te to getfency fold. Unless the Legisla-
extends the TEC, Edwards
reporters that unemploy-
t benefits for 150,000 job-
Texans could cease by Oct.
is comments came after the
egislature failed to pass a bill
id he tounat would have continued the
;unt Reset
ame aW
iports cii
id storagt
ate. Critic
■serve d*
:h oil a*
the oil cai
a the
s.
dec! 1
(ionworf
Hodd
ion was fl
of thep;
zes yoiic ;
tv that
to the 8
that is ll
agency as part of its “sunset” re
view.
In a mailgram to White,
Albert Angrisani, assistant sec
retary of labor employment and
training in Washington D.C.,
Tuesday apologized for the
statements.
“Any statements or interven
tion by the Dallas regional office
have been both premature and
inappropriate,” he said. “I re
gret that the regional adminis
trator has interpreted state ac
tions and consequences on his
own initiative.”
White has been urged by
some lawmakers to meet in a
special session before Sept. 1,
but the governor said last week
Texas law allows for a one-year
“phase out” of any agreement
not renewed by lawmakers.
The governor said he believes
the TEC could be salvaged by a
legislative vote after Sept. 1,
when the TEC technically goes
out of business under the “sun
set” act.
In addition to the loss of un
employment benefits and jobs
placement funds, Texas em
ployers could face a $1 billion
hike in their federal unemploy
ment taxes through a loss of tax
credits.
MSC Summer Dinner Theatre presents
RICH
SUMMER FLASH
$ 1 Off
any Roll Processed and Printed
> tf|
qwick mm m flash
Good with Coupon Only (thru June 30)
POST OAK MALL 764-0601
Family Owned and Operated
Checks Accepted
£l Visa Master Card
evenings of June 22-25 * room 201 MSC
NIGHTS
MEALS
STUDENTS
NON
STUDENTS
Wednesday
Ref reshmenta
S 2.5 0
*3.50
Thursday
Friday
B ' B - Q Din ne r
*6.50
Si 7.5 0
Saturday
Ruffe! Dinner
*0. 50
$10.50
Purchase tickets 24 hours in
advance at MSC Box Office.
TICKETS go ON SALE:
JUNE I
I) in n er* - 6 3 O
S h <> w - 7 :4 5
:xmwxxi£u
GREG BALL
in
RUDDER TOWER
5 SUN.
6 MON.
7 TUES.
8 WED
9 THURS.
10 FRI.
11 SAT.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
Rm. #701
Rm. #301
Rm. #301
Rm. #301
Rm. #301
MARANATHA CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
MUSICIANS' WORLD
SAVINCS-UP-TO 40% OFF
THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST PRICE
Roland String Ensamble 40% Off
I Eplphone Acoustic Guitars 35% Off
Gibson Electric Guitars 30% Off
Marshall Amp 30% Off
M sand inst/vioam 30% Off
Legend t Acoustic Amp 25% Off
Pianos by Kimball 20% Off
VENlfl
y DIH
'ith
;auce
■essing
d - 0ui |e!
Tea
wy
e of any
able
COUPON
25% Off the Regular List Price
on Bass Guitar strings.
or
An Extra 5% Off Any
Major Purchase
Good till the End of June 1983.
COUPON
Buy one set of Electric or Acoustic
Guitar Strings at Regular list price
and get one set FREE.
Good thru the End of June 1983.
we take Visa - M/C - D.c. - AmEx.
SALE ENDS JUNE 11.1983
woodstone Shopping Center
No Lay-A-ways or Trades Please
Our Semi-Annual
Women’s Shoe Sale
25% to 33% off
Step forward and save!
Move in on sensational sale prices
on many of America’s most
wanted shoes, during our
season-ending clearance sale
Van Eli, Caressa, Beene Bag, Cities...34.90 to 49.90
9 West, Bass, SRO, Nickel...29.90 to44.90
Jacque Cohen, Capezio, Famolare,
Unisa, Cherokee, Sbicca... 19.90 to 29.90
Red Cross, Cobbies, Magdesians... 19.90 to 29.90
Nike, Lotto, Keds... 12.90 to 29.90
Shoes on racks for complete selection
Handbags proportionally reduced
Culpepper Plaza
Charge it on Lewis’ Charge, VISA, MasterCard, AM. EX.
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