Houston being overrun by electronics-killing ants
We'll let you read the hed again -- nope, it's not a joke. Apparently millions of tiny swarming ants called "crazy raspberry ants" are causing quite a ruckus down in Houston after they accidentally arrived on board a cargo ship and started busily invading homes and offices, where they are attracted to electrical equipment. So far they've messed up sewage pumps, cause fire alarms to go haywire, destroyed computers, and taken out at least one gas meter -- and since they're resistant to over-the-counter ant killers and each colony has multiple queens, they're nearly impossible to kill. Worse, those that do die are used by the remaining ants as bridges over pesticide-treated areas. Yep, that's insanely creepy. Anyone in Houston got any horror stories to share?
[Thanks, David]
[Thanks, David]























That's unfortunate.
I call conspiracy.
Dont worry this is fixable
1st we need 1000 kids with Large magnifying glasses
2nd we need 500 kids with zippos and gas
3rd we need to make it public so PETA can come in and protest topless
I'm in favor of the Last one
P.S. look at the bright side they are not flesh eating ants or bees
unfortunate indeed..
they are called "crazy raspberry ants" because they fart a lot, and stick their tounge out when they do....
As long as they dont bother my soda can im cool
We need to implement an ant-eater army to get rid of the ants. Once the ants are gone, and only the ant-eater menace remains, we'll introduce wolves to take care of the ant-eaters. Assuming that the wolves don't leave of their own accord, we'll introduce bears to take care of the wolves. In the event that the bears complete their mission, we'll simply live in harmony with the bears, happily ever after. Until that blonde idiot drinks their porridge and screws us all.
Considering that Houston is a commercial city that relies heavily on communication and data (not to mention energy, which is controlled by electronics) to survive, I'd say it's unfortunate. Strangely, I'm not familiar with these ants and I'm a Houstonian. I just need to keep them away from my electronics, right?
Wait...Is that Jamie Hyneman from Mythbusters?
Maybe the next experiment will be whether or not ants really CAN destroy electronics...(Oh wait...They can...)
It'll be more than unfortunate when they spread across the continent. Hurray for globalization?
Brings a whole new meaning to "Electronic Warfare"
Diabeetus.
"Houston, we have a problem"
There was an episode of MacGyver like this.
It's the ZERG!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!
I live in Wisconsin (in the country) and we have had problems with spiders and ants crawling into the electrical box for our well pump, shorting it out and leaving us without water multiple times. We finally needed to get a completely sealed box for it to keep them out.
Ryman, your third wish has been granted.
http://www.peta.org/feat/stateoftheunion/
http://www.peta.org/feat/stateoftheunion08/index.asp
This is creepy! like "the end of the world" creepy! :S
Hahaha, how about an exchange Thuraya? You give me the duck and I start supporting Arsenal for 1 season? ;D
Dalia, I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience I've caused for you by playing that online game. If required, I can take actions based on your desire, if it is really bothering you that I was trying to be fun, then I don't have a choice but to follow your orders. What say you? :) You will never live this down Saad... Never. >: )
wat
ugg was making a reference to yesterday when Saad posted that randomly in an article, then apologized for it.
Look on the bright side: we finally have something that can save us from the robots.
Time to release the ant-killing nanobots!
then who will defend us from the nanobots?
picobots?
ants?
brilliant!
Houston, we have a problem...
Looks like the government will have to resort to nuking the city ala Independence Day.
Do it from orbit.
It's the only way to be sure.
Houst0wned
@ Rynth,
That was something stupid -.-
naw, once the ants reach Pasadena they will all die from chemical exposure or mutate into man eating crazy raspberry ants.
I reckon s'only a matter a time 'fore these critters make it to Dallas y'all. Better get a new iPhone so I can still get my Engadget fixin'.
You are so obviously NOT from the South, so quit trying.
And even Dubya doesn't talk like that, toolbar.
Dubya's not from the south either..
I am from Houston and do not sound like that at all. In fact, I have less of an American (especially Southern American) accent than most of those from the North.
Sorry bud, your iPhone just got owned by some ants. Did you read the story? They eat electronics. The iPhone doesn't run on Steve Jobs magic flippin potion. They are electronics!!!
Um, I'm in Dallas, and they're here now.
I have them in my house, eating my electrical outlets as we speak. The good news is, they kill fire ants. The bad news, insecticide doesn't have any effect on them.
I'm currently getting all the computers here off the floor.
Not the electronics for the love of God! Cant they at least infest/attack something that doesn't matter to me as much? Trash, food, my neighbors annoying barking dog... my neighbor?!?
...Anything but electronical goodness.
Shame shame. But then again I probably don't have to worry for a while... I live in Minnesota. We still haven't got Africanized Bees up here yet.
One plane ride with the ants as stow aways in the electronics and we will see...
Sounds like thats how they might have got to Houston...
And thanks to vanishing bee phenomenon, you never will!
Samuel L. Jackson's next flick:
Ants On A Plane.
No, no , no , you've got it wrong.
It'll be:
"Ants in your Pants"
Or something stupid...
Then XKCD will say "ANTS... ON EVERY PLANE! MUCH MUCH WORSE THAN LAST TIME!"
http://xkcd.com/107/
I'd rather be overrun by rasberry ants than the fire ants we currently have a problem with here in Houston. I can't wait for the pentagon to make some sort of connection between the rasberry ants and Iran. Their taking down our infrastructure! Raise the color coded flag to high alert!
I believe the color for "high alert" is periwinkle. I could be wrong.
"Blackwatch plaid" is the highest level!
The one good thing about these raspberry ants is that they apparently eat fire ants -- might be a good trade
actually its....BLACKWATCH PLAID!
@ riggs
Nice, haven't seen Harvey Birdman in too long!
The high alert flag is actually RASPBERRY!!!!