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The Ants Go Marching Two by Two (At Least)
Columns & Opinion
November 15, 2023
The Ants Go Marching Two by Two (At Least)

The bugs are coming!

Getting bugged by climate change

The bugs are coming!

No, I’m not talking about a bad science fiction movie - I’m talking about how the range of many of our “peskier” insects and pests are expanding thanks to our changing climate.

I know it’s hard to think about insects and other pests in November, but it goes without saying that as the weather begins to warm, we will again be inundated with bugs of all kinds - and as global temperature have slowly increased, so has the range of these creepy critters.

Case in point ... the red imported fire ant. First brought to the United States through the port of Mobil, Ala. from Brazil in 1918, the red imported fire ant has now spread throughout much of the southeast and southern United States including most of Texas and Oklahoma. More aggressive than most native ants, the red imported fire ants are known to swarm out of dens when disturbed, attacking a perceived threat all at once, stinging and biting with a toxin that leaves serious welts and can cause serious injury to people and livestock.

First spotted in Texas in 1950’s, these invaders have now reached all way across the state and as far north as the top of the panhandle. In the mid-1980’s they made their way across the Red River in Oklahoma, eventually reaching all the way to the northern tier of counties.

Now what does this all have to do with climate change? Well, that’s where I enter the story. Many of you know that I am a “recovering politician” which is a nice way to say that from 1994 to 2004 I served as a member of the Oklahoma Legislature. During this time, I served for several years as the vice-chair of the Oklahoma House Agriculture Committee. In this capacity, I had the opportunity to attend several ag conferences where Issues effecting both Oklahoma and Texas were discussed. One item that was often talked about was the spreading fire ant infestation. I can clearly remember listening to a speaker in 1994 talk about the challenges this insect was presenting but that we didn’t have to worry much in Oklahoma because “it couldn’t get much further north than two counties above the Red River.” Jump forward a few years later ... I clearly remember a similar talk, except the speaker said that the fire ant “has now been found in Central Oklahoma, but can’t much further north.” Now, I as I mentioned earlier, these little pests have found their way to some of the state’s northern most counties and many believe that one of the primary reasons for this is that the “cold line” that was supposed to keep the ants in check has slowly moved north due to the warming temperatures that we are experiencing.

And fire ants aren’t alone. If you grow Milo (grain sorghum) in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas you probably are familiar with the sugarcane aphid, or at least you are now ... I say that you are familiar with them now because prior to 2013 this pest was primarily known to feed on sugarcane in areas like South Texas and Louisiana. Starting in that year, however, these bugs began to survive the winter, move north and switch their diet from sugarcane to grain sorghum. Now these insects have been found infesting fields as far north as Kansas and again, as in the case of fire ants, many believe that one of the primary reasons for this migration is that the “cold line” that for decades dictated how far certain species could migrate has moved farther north thanks to our changing climate.

Whether its fire ants, sugarcane aphids, ticks or weevils, it’s becoming evident that climate change is affecting the types of pests we are facing and it will only get more challenging over time. I know it’s hard to focus on this as we move into winter, but the bug invasion is just around the corner.

I’ve always heard the stories of the canaries in the coal mines that were used as early warning signs of increasing gas levels in the air - maybe this changing range of insects is sending us a similar message about our changing climate. Instead of a canary in a coal mine it’s a fire ant and a cold line.

--- Clay Pope is a natural resource consultant. The opinions expressed here are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of his current or former employers. You can read more from Clay and listen to his podcast at https://southernplainsperspective.wordpress. com/.

Patrons Bank warns community of rising phone scams
A: Main, Lifestyle...
Patrons Bank warns community of rising phone scams
July 25, 2025
Patrons Bank is urging the community to be on high alert as phone scams targeting bank customers continue to rise across the country - and right here at home.Scammers are spoofing legitimate bank phon...
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Christmas in July is today
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Christmas in July is today
July 25, 2025
Downtown Henryetta is set to come alive with holiday spirit and summer sunshine today, as the Henryetta Chamber of Commerce presents its annual “Christmas in July” celebration. The event, scheduled fr...
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Back-to-School excitement builds
July 25, 2025
As summer winds down and the school year quickly approaches, Henryetta Public Schools and Dewar Public Schools are rolling out the red carpet for students and families with a series of exciting back-t...
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Main Street Crossing Temporarily Closed
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Main Street Crossing Temporarily Closed
July 25, 2025
The City of Henryetta has announced that the Main Street railroad crossing is currently closed to all traffic. Residents needing to cross the tracks are encouraged to use the Trudgeon Street crossing ...
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Sales Tax Holiday returns Aug. 1-3
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Sales Tax Holiday returns Aug. 1-3
July 25, 2025
Shoppers across Okmulgee County and throughout the state will soon get a much-needed break on back-to-school expenses, as Oklahoma’s annual Sales Tax Holiday kicks off Friday, Aug. 1, and runs through...
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Historical Museum open Saturday
July 25, 2025
The Henryetta Historical Museum continues to welcome guests through its doors this summer with its special every-other-weekend schedule - and this Saturday is no exception. The museum will be open Jul...
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OCEM Report
July 25, 2025
This report is a summary of activities Okmulgee County Emergency Management participated in and does not reflect all activities performed by or participated in by Okmulgee County Emergency Management....
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Plans underway for Okmulgee County Fair
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Plans underway for Okmulgee County Fair
July 25, 2025
Planning is in full swing for the much-anticipated 2025 Okmulgee County Fair, with the event officially set to take place Sept. 4-6 at the Okmulgee County Fairgrounds.Members of the Fair Volunteer Com...
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Lions Club celebrates new members, history and upcoming events
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Lions Club celebrates new members, history and upcoming events
July 25, 2025
The Henryetta Lions Club held a lively and productive meeting on Thursday, July 17, at The Shack 2.0, welcoming new members, celebrating local heritage and preparing for several key community events o...
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Preston Schools announces Child Nutrition Program
July 25, 2025
Preston Public Schools announced they are participating in free lunch and/or breakfast program for the 2026 school year. All students enrolled in the district or the listed sites may participate in th...
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OCA All-State Week festivities are July 26-31
July 25, 2025
The Oklahoma Coaches Association (OCA) is gearing up for its annual All-State events, set to take place from Saturday, July 26 through Thursday, July 31. Athletes, coaches, and sports enthusiasts from...
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