Show i May Await Awalt Fire Ants Fluorescent dyes may prove to be the death of the Imported fire ant This dangerous Insect a hazard to farmers lanners animals and crops has bas brought quarantine tine Une restrictions In six southern states Previous control efforts have relied largely on Insecticides but some of these are now under attack as environmental hazards Now a Mississippi State Uni Uni- University University scientist has bas come up with a novel approach for controlling con trolling the ants In lab tests Biochemist James Heitz Hells feeds the ants a diet of fluorescent dyes mixed with a sUlar sugar ugar solution When the ants ant are subsequently exposed to light the dyes are transformed transformed trans trans- formed into toxic substances that kill the Insects In less than four hours The exact mechanism of how the light and dye act isn't clear lear but scientists believe the combination com com- combination results in lethal photo photo- oxidation The imported fire ant is believed believed be be- to have arrived in In this country from South America in about 1919 Besides Beides attacking humans and wildlife it builds huge mounds that interfere with farm machinery operations Fire ant populations have been reported in parts of Arkansas Ar Ar- kansas Florida Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Carolina Caro Caro- lina Ilna and Texas |