Floating {Fire} Ant Islands Seen After Floods In South Carolina (HuffPo)

[eppur_se_muova]

Steven Hoffer
Senior Editor, The Huffington Post

Posted: 10/06/2015 11:32 AM EDT | Edited: 10/06/2015 11:33 AM EDT

As South Carolina recovers from heavy rain and flooding, one insect is showing off its clever strategy for survival.

Fox Carolina’s Adrian Acosta recorded footage of a group of fire ants clinging together to form a life raft as they float on the water.

Acosta said he initially thought he was looking at a pile of mud, but closer examination revealed a swarm of ants.

The phenomenon is, in fact, a common survival tactic for fire ants faced with flood conditions.

As researchers studying the behavior in 2011 explained in National Geographic:

In less than two minutes the ants had linked "hands" to form a floating structure that kept all the insects safe. Even the ants down below can survive this way, thanks to tiny hairs on the ants' bodies that trap a thin layer of air.

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more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fire-ant-island-flooding_5613c59ce4b022a4ce5f569a?cps=gravity_5019_-4949409254678072809

[brewens]

1. Not surprising. That really bad sunami they had in Indonesia several years ago had little effect on

isolated native populations. They knew it was coming from the signs the wildlife gave them. It destroyed their dwellings but they had all gotten to high ground in time.

[RobertEarl]

2. I saw that once

It was a great pleasure seeing an ounce of dishwashing liquid defeat that swarm in just a few moments.

[Warpy]

3. I was about to say that.

They could solve a lot of future problems with just a little detergent.

[RobertEarl]

4. Before the flood

Feed them grits. Just a teaspoon on each mound, once every 5 days. Feed them more than that and they figure out grits kill fire ants. The bastards are that smart.

Or, once every five days hand spread a small amount over the yard.

But the ultimate is dishwashing liquid on a floating mound. What pleasure to see them drown! Ordinarily I am an animal lover. Fire ants ain't animals tho. They're aliens from hell!

[Warpy]

5. I nicked some pool chemicals from my next door neighbor

shoved them down the hole and put a tile on top, covered in dirt. I don't know whether they moved out or the chlorine finally killed them before they managed to dig an air shaft. All I know is that it worked.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

6. I've used ammonia. It kills on contact and fills the nest with gas.

[malaise]

10. Ordinary white vinegar works as well n/t

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. In other news, evil genius ant killers expose themselves on DU thread. n/t

[Maraya1969]

9. Have you ever been bitten by a fire ant? Well it is never

just one bite and they itch and form pus filled pimple type things. They have been known to kill people and animals that cannot get away from them.

Hence the hatred.

[A HERETIC I AM]

11. Does a one legged duck swim in a circle?

I have lived much of my life in Florida.

I am well aware of the tiny Red Devils from the pits of hell.

[hobbit709]

8. They do that naturally in the rainy season in South America where they're from.