Crazy Ants Invade Texas

Post by **Yoon** » May 16th, 2008, 1:40 pm

It appears that Texas is being invaded by a new species of ants.

[quote]New Species of Ants in Houston Attack Computers, Electronics

Crazy raspberry ants stack their dead to avoid pesticides on surfaces

There are many things that can harm electric devices like computers. From water to power surges to toddlers, computers are apt to be damaged by many different things. Some Houston, Texas residents are finding that a new danger is looking to harm their computers and electronics: ants.

A new species of ant has arrived in Houston and is believed to have come to Texas via a cargo ship that arrived at the Port of Houston. The ants are called crazy rasberry ants. The ants get the odd name from the fact that they tend to move erratically around in search of food rather than moving in orderly lines like typical ants.

The rasberry portion of the name comes from the exterminator who first battled the new species in Houston. The ants appear to be immune to the common over the counter ant sprays that Texas residents rely on to keep ants at bay during the hot and humid summer months.

There is one upside to the new species of ant

Jaegar · Post by **Jaegar** » May 16th, 2008, 2:24 pm

O.o a natural enemy of electronic devices. Scary x.x'"

longshin · Post by **longshin** » May 16th, 2008, 2:24 pm

or Maybe....they already learned how to live inside other things..

*trembles ...SCREAMS*!!!

*His chest explodes , thousands of crazy raspberry ants come out of his chest*

Post by **Yoon** » May 16th, 2008, 3:29 pm

It seems they're attracted to electricity, and no one knows why:

Ants can be a major problem around electrical items as they eat through cable insulation on power lines and congregate on metal conductors, causing shorts in electrical lines, junction boxes, traffic and street lights and air conditioners.

It is unclear why ants are so attracted to electricity. A study by the University of Texas found that they prefer DC to AC current, but could find no reason for the attraction.

Source: http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2216754/texan-computers-hit-ant-attack

Computers use DC currents, so this is probably why the crazy ants are going after computers.

Looks like the ants tried to go after NASA's Houston center too:

The pests have even invaded and tried to destroy (eat away at) critical computer systems at the NASA Johnson Space Center, in Clear Lake City, Texas, just south of Houston Texas.

However, Tom Rasberry saved the day for NASA