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]

[Bl1nk @ May 15th 2008 2:44AM]

That's unfortunate.

[karts41 @ May 15th 2008 3:25AM]

I call conspiracy.

[Ayman @ May 15th 2008 3:33AM]

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

[marty.com.au @ May 15th 2008 4:09AM]

unfortunate indeed..
they are called "crazy raspberry ants" because they fart a lot, and stick their tounge out when they do....

[Rjay @ May 15th 2008 5:03AM]

As long as they dont bother my soda can im cool

[BananaBoat @ May 15th 2008 7:17AM]

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.

[Zencyde @ May 15th 2008 7:45AM]

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?

[Shane @ May 15th 2008 9:28AM]

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...)

[BigD145 @ May 15th 2008 9:44AM]

It'll be more than unfortunate when they spread across the continent. Hurray for globalization?

[retro77 @ May 15th 2008 11:03AM]

Brings a whole new meaning to "Electronic Warfare"

[Justin @ May 15th 2008 11:18AM]

Diabeetus.

[David @ May 15th 2008 12:58PM]

"Houston, we have a problem"

[Ray @ May 15th 2008 1:29PM]

There was an episode of MacGyver like this.

[Deputy Doffoos @ May 15th 2008 3:56PM]

It's the ZERG!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!

[Timerider @ May 15th 2008 5:24PM]

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.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ May 15th 2008 5:28PM]

Ryman, your third wish has been granted.

http://www.peta.org/feat/stateoftheunion/
http://www.peta.org/feat/stateoftheunion08/index.asp

[Saad Rabia @ May 15th 2008 2:45AM]

This is creepy! like "the end of the world" creepy! :S

[ugg.tryptophan @ May 15th 2008 3:00AM]

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. >: )

[GeorgeDubya08 @ May 15th 2008 3:10AM]

wat

[kr @ May 15th 2008 8:11AM]

ugg was making a reference to yesterday when Saad posted that randomly in an article, then apologized for it.

[m @ May 15th 2008 5:15PM]

Look on the bright side: we finally have something that can save us from the robots.

[klew @ May 15th 2008 2:46AM]

Time to release the ant-killing nanobots!

[ugg.tryptophan @ May 15th 2008 2:52AM]

then who will defend us from the nanobots?

[klew @ May 15th 2008 2:53AM]

picobots?

[Unknown @ May 15th 2008 3:24AM]

ants?

[Tom Oliveri @ May 15th 2008 3:40AM]

brilliant!

[Shmoe @ May 15th 2008 2:46AM]

Houston, we have a problem...

Looks like the government will have to resort to nuking the city ala Independence Day.

[Namarrgon @ May 15th 2008 4:08AM]

Do it from orbit.

It's the only way to be sure.

[David @ May 15th 2008 6:15AM]

Houst0wned

[JJV @ May 15th 2008 7:52AM]

@ Rynth,

That was something stupid -.-

[Chad @ May 15th 2008 9:15AM]

naw, once the ants reach Pasadena they will all die from chemical exposure or mutate into man eating crazy raspberry ants.

[GeorgeDubya08 @ May 15th 2008 2:50AM]

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'.

[Smart People Play Tuba @ May 15th 2008 8:54AM]

You are so obviously NOT from the South, so quit trying.

And even Dubya doesn't talk like that, toolbar.

[Sporkinum @ May 15th 2008 9:31AM]

Dubya's not from the south either..

[Derek @ May 15th 2008 10:19AM]

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.

[retro77 @ May 15th 2008 11:18AM]

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!!!

[DFarmerTX @ May 16th 2008 11:40PM]

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.

[Christian Torkelson @ May 15th 2008 2:48AM]

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.

[Daren @ May 15th 2008 2:54AM]

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...

[GeorgeDubya08 @ May 15th 2008 2:55AM]

And thanks to vanishing bee phenomenon, you never will!

[Rohit Kapur @ May 15th 2008 4:20AM]

Samuel L. Jackson's next flick:

Ants On A Plane.

[Rynth @ May 15th 2008 4:48AM]

No, no , no , you've got it wrong.

It'll be:

"Ants in your Pants"

Or something stupid...

[Clete R. Blackwell II @ May 16th 2008 12:55PM]

Then XKCD will say "ANTS... ON EVERY PLANE! MUCH MUCH WORSE THAN LAST TIME!"

http://xkcd.com/107/

[Christopher. @ May 15th 2008 2:50AM]

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!

[Tony @ May 15th 2008 3:15AM]

I believe the color for "high alert" is periwinkle. I could be wrong.

[blackfett @ May 15th 2008 10:45AM]

"Blackwatch plaid" is the highest level!

[Dave M @ May 15th 2008 8:38AM]

The one good thing about these raspberry ants is that they apparently eat fire ants -- might be a good trade

[riggs @ May 15th 2008 8:50AM]

actually its....BLACKWATCH PLAID!

[Matt @ May 15th 2008 10:29AM]

@ riggs

Nice, haven't seen Harvey Birdman in too long!

[retro77 @ May 15th 2008 11:20AM]

The high alert flag is actually RASPBERRY!!!!