Down in Houston, crazy ants are taking over! Technically, the red-brown creatures are called "crazy rasberry ants," not because rasberries are red-brown, because rasberries don't exist, but because one of the exterminators who warred against the ants was named Tom Rasberry. There are millions and millions of the tiny (one-eighth of an inch long), speedy ants attacking five Texas counties: they seem attracted to electrical boxes and computers, and swarms of them can cause shorts and malfunctions.
How would you solve Houston's ant infestation?
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
1. I'd give Texas back to Mexico!
Captain Negative at 11:33PM on May 14th 2008
2. no lo queremos, es lleno de evilgelicals
marco at 1:35AM on May 15th 2008
3. I live in N.E. Ohio, and we have not so many ants, and they're not a problem. But! Since reading the article about them, I feel like small, furry (FURRY?) ants are crawling all over me. I can't sleep. I feel like Something is crawling up my nose, into my ears ... Anyhow, thanks a heap for the article. I'm going to open a bottle of gin now.
Signe at 3:30AM on May 15th 2008
4. Reading the story they're more than an electrical problem, they bite people and eat other bugs...and grouse?
But still, this story makes me laugh. Not sure why. Maybe it's the name crazy rasberry ants.
Strados at 7:33AM on May 15th 2008
5. They are attracted to electrical equipment because like many insects, they navigate by an internal 'compass' tuned to the Earth's magnetic field. Electrical equipment interferes with their compass causing them to either be drawn to it or, to seek it out to destroy it so the rest of them can navigate normally. (That last possibility is scary as it indicates reasoning)
They run around like they are 'crazy' for one of two reasons: A) because they 'know' they are not in their native habitat and they're survival depends on rapid congnitive mapping of their new environs. (Other ants behave similarly after natural disasters that drastically change the landscape!) B) this species may be able to survive for brief time without a queen. If so, they're 'first mission' would be to seek out a 'queen'..obviously, this is done more efficiently with each individual searching independently then marching together as a group.
I don't believe they came over by ship. They probably flew. (Some ants grown wings only during certain times.) That would account for the wide dispersal of the species. Find their home...if it has suffered some cataclysm, that is why they went airborne 'en-masse' they may have lost their queen then or when they got caught in the jetstream. The best solution would be to find a queen, replicate it's pheromone (like we do for bees) and lead the fractured colonies back to a common 'hive' and relocate them back to their home. A little complicated but doable.
Keith J. Mohrhoff at 9:30AM on May 15th 2008
6. HEY signe maybe you should lay off the drugs and I'm pretty sure that the ants will then leave you nose and ears alone...
Nate at 11:04AM on May 15th 2008
7. We need to modify a flying insect zapper. We make it into a combination attractant/crematorium. Set it up with a fine grid, and a low current to attract the ants. When enough ants are on the fine grid or periodically trip a switch,increase voltage, zap them and cremate them. This avoids them using the dead ants as bridges,and disposes of the dead bodies(none of those piles that look like coffee grounds. Eco friendly no pesticides etc. With a little luck other ants will be attracted to the odor and more are drawn to it. (Patent Applied for.) Antzapatorium (TM)
Bill at 12:18PM on May 15th 2008
8. human sacrifice to the ant gods.
i vote for Keith J. Mohrhoff.
hannah at 1:26PM on May 15th 2008
9. With all that is going on in the world you pick ants? OMG.. and I read you daily why?
ChrisD at 2:07PM on May 15th 2008
10. ChrisD:
The reason why this seemlingly insignificant ant migration is newsworthy is that such things can have MAJOR repercussions on the ecology. In Africa--where the ants would have alot more competition (and maybe a predator or two to keep their populations in check) they're presence in one thing. But, here in the U.S., these small, overly voracious insects can lead to destruction of entire crops and ecologic collapse.
Keith J. Mohrhoff at 2:38PM on May 15th 2008
11. http://evolutionfacts.blogspot.com
JOHN McCAIN at 5:02PM on May 15th 2008
12. Well, at least the ants knew what state to pick on!
Maybe if they stick around until January they will have a welcome home party for the Village Idiot!
Patty at 2:13PM on May 16th 2008
13. no lo queremos, es lleno de evilgelicals
****
Marco:-)
Don't you mean, "no las queremos, estan llenas de evangelistas?" Just asking after all ants are called hormigas.
Patty at 2:13PM on May 16th 2008
14. When man went global, he tok his favorite plants and animals with him. This has wrecked environments and continues to do so. Putting critters into new/different environments is a recipe for disaster.
Many animals are attracted to electrical humming. Woodpeckers will drill because of this, some theorize they think it's the activity of insects they hear, but no one is sure.
whoops at 8:20PM on May 16th 2008
15. Captain Negative - MY state, a former nation itself, was freed from tyranny by the blood of Texian patriots. No worthless damn yankee has any chance of getting rid of us. Unless you WANT to pay more for our oil.
Patty - That moron Bush is NOT a Texan! The cretin is from New Haven, CT. Wannabees are numerous, of course, and they're quite pathetic. Too bad it isn't legal to shoot them...yet.
Texas Woman at 4:52PM on May 17th 2008