Colony of fire ants form a "life raft" in the wake of Hurricane Harvey in search of new, dry land

www.businessinsider.com.au...

Extremely fascinating stuff. According to the article, "The raft mutates as it goes, with ants travelling across the top and joining the stationary layer on the bottom, according to one study of the dynamics of these structures. The authors of that study wrote that some of these rafts may have more than 100,000 stinging ants."

originally posted by: logicsoda

www.businessinsider.com.au...

Extremely fascinating stuff. According to the article, "The raft mutates as it goes, with ants travelling across the top and joining the stationary layer on the bottom, according to one study of the dynamics of these structures. The authors of that study wrote that some of these rafts may have more than 100,000 stinging ants."

Wow. That's awesome.

I wish the camera would've zoomed out though so you could get an idea of the relative size of this thing.

a reply to: logicsoda


I grew up in South Florida and saw these all the time. As a kid we would go outside and play in the rain and water and , believe me, it sucked when you did not see one of those and ran into it.

a reply to: logicsoda

Oops, survival of the cooperative!

There goes the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis' idea that natural selection is "red in tooth and claw".

a reply to: chr0naut

Certainly you know how many individual worker ants are dying all to support the queen,lol and certainly don't want a monarchy based human colony based on an ant colony. I keed I keed ......

Life finds a way.

originally posted by: logicsoda

www.businessinsider.com.au...

Extremely fascinating stuff. According to the article, "The raft mutates as it goes, with ants travelling across the top and joining the stationary layer on the bottom, according to one study of the dynamics of these structures. The authors of that study wrote that some of these rafts may have more than 100,000 stinging ants."

spray gasoline on them and torch them now

When you see that fire ants show more brotherly love than humans... haha.

I saw that yesterday and was impressed. Like when you see ants holding "hands" to form a living bridge to cross a gap.

originally posted by: musicismagic

originally posted by: logicsoda

www.businessinsider.com.au...

Extremely fascinating stuff. According to the article, "The raft mutates as it goes, with ants travelling across the top and joining the stationary layer on the bottom, according to one study of the dynamics of these structures. The authors of that study wrote that some of these rafts may have more than 100,000 stinging ants."

spray gasoline on them and torch them now

Something is wrong with you man.

originally posted by: Trueman

originally posted by: musicismagic

originally posted by: logicsoda

www.businessinsider.com.au...

Extremely fascinating stuff. According to the article, "The raft mutates as it goes, with ants travelling across the top and joining the stationary layer on the bottom, according to one study of the dynamics of these structures. The authors of that study wrote that some of these rafts may have more than 100,000 stinging ants."

spray gasoline on them and torch them now

Something is wrong with you man.

You would say the same if ever had them bite and sting you, they are nasty.

originally posted by: thesaneone

originally posted by: Trueman

originally posted by: musicismagic

originally posted by: logicsoda

www.businessinsider.com.au...

Extremely fascinating stuff. According to the article, "The raft mutates as it goes, with ants travelling across the top and joining the stationary layer on the bottom, according to one study of the dynamics of these structures. The authors of that study wrote that some of these rafts may have more than 100,000 stinging ants."

spray gasoline on them and torch them now

Something is wrong with you man.

You would say the same if ever had them bite and sting you, they are nasty.

That's not a good reason, they are focused in surviving. I've been bitten by huge black ants in the Amazon Rainforest and I didn't burn the jungle.

originally posted by: thesaneone

originally posted by: Trueman

originally posted by: musicismagic

originally posted by: logicsoda

www.businessinsider.com.au...

Extremely fascinating stuff. According to the article, "The raft mutates as it goes, with ants travelling across the top and joining the stationary layer on the bottom, according to one study of the dynamics of these structures. The authors of that study wrote that some of these rafts may have more than 100,000 stinging ants."

spray gasoline on them and torch them now

Something is wrong with you man.

You would say the same if ever had them bite and sting you, they are nasty.

That's one good thing that could come from the flood. Get rid of the whole colony before it can re-establish itself on dry land. Texas fire ants are the worst.

Enough of them stinging can kill. If you are allergic, on or two can kill. They got me on Saturday. Never saw them while I was trying to see what hit the roof.

I try to always carry AMDRO when I mow to "feed" the little darlings after I run them over and piss them off. They love "food" when they are angry.

originally posted by: chr0naut
a reply to: logicsoda

Oops, survival of the cooperative!

There goes the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis' idea that natural selection is "red in tooth and claw".

Well, maybe but the ants on the bottom (under water!) don't have scuba devices and drown and get locked into that position so the others can live. Now, the question is, did they volunteer for that job, were they forced below by a command, or is sacrifice is part of their life style, all happen to serve others? Dumb, single-minded ants maybe?

ETA: Heavily hit by the storm here, I've see a couple small colonies floating away. Smaller collections are in ball-shaped assemblies.

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: thesaneone

originally posted by: Trueman

originally posted by: musicismagic

originally posted by: logicsoda

www.businessinsider.com.au...

Extremely fascinating stuff. According to the article, "The raft mutates as it goes, with ants travelling across the top and joining the stationary layer on the bottom, according to one study of the dynamics of these structures. The authors of that study wrote that some of these rafts may have more than 100,000 stinging ants."

spray gasoline on them and torch them now

Something is wrong with you man.

You would say the same if ever had them bite and sting you, they are nasty.

That's one good thing that could come from the flood. Get rid of the whole colony before it can re-establish itself on dry land. Texas fire ants are the worst.

It's like antifa for ants.

originally posted by: Aliensun

originally posted by: chr0naut
a reply to: logicsoda

Oops, survival of the cooperative!

There goes the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis' idea that natural selection is "red in tooth and claw".

Well, maybe but the ants on the bottom (under water!) don't have scuba devices and drown and get locked into that position so the others can live. Now, the question is, did they volunteer for that job, were they forced below by a command, or is sacrifice is part of their life style, all happen to serve others? Dumb, single-minded ants maybe?

ETA: Heavily hit by the storm here, I've see a couple small colonies floating away. Smaller collections are in ball-shaped assemblies.

I'll have to see if I can find something but I believe the ants on bottom do not drown. That is why you see them shifting to take turns on bottom. IIRC I read something about they can hold air in the exoskeleton to breath while under water. I'll google around some.

ETA: articles.latimes.com...

originally posted by: Trueman

originally posted by: thesaneone

originally posted by: Trueman

originally posted by: musicismagic

originally posted by: logicsoda

www.businessinsider.com.au...

Extremely fascinating stuff. According to the article, "The raft mutates as it goes, with ants travelling across the top and joining the stationary layer on the bottom, according to one study of the dynamics of these structures. The authors of that study wrote that some of these rafts may have more than 100,000 stinging ants."

spray gasoline on them and torch them now

Something is wrong with you man.

You would say the same if ever had them bite and sting you, they are nasty.

That's not a good reason, they are focused in surviving. I've been bitten by huge black ants in the Amazon Rainforest and I didn't burn the jungle.

But these ants will kill your chickens that you have in your Texas back yard. And you won't have food to eat, I guess you don't have to worry about cleaning your chickens then.

a reply to: logicsoda

Annnnd this is why ants have survived for millions of years. And will most likely out last us humans if we keep up what we are doing.

originally posted by: musicismagic

originally posted by: Trueman

originally posted by: thesaneone

originally posted by: Trueman

originally posted by: musicismagic

originally posted by: logicsoda

www.businessinsider.com.au...

Extremely fascinating stuff. According to the article, "The raft mutates as it goes, with ants travelling across the top and joining the stationary layer on the bottom, according to one study of the dynamics of these structures. The authors of that study wrote that some of these rafts may have more than 100,000 stinging ants."

spray gasoline on them and torch them now

Something is wrong with you man.

You would say the same if ever had them bite and sting you, they are nasty.

That's not a good reason, they are focused in surviving. I've been bitten by huge black ants in the Amazon Rainforest and I didn't burn the jungle.

But these ants will kill your chickens that you have in your Texas back yard. And you won't have food to eat, I guess you don't have to worry about cleaning your chickens then.

Get one of these

The reason ? The queen must survive at all costs. Thousands on a suicidal mission just where the queen can stay warm and dry...