Attack of the Killer Ants

[ShagDevil]

5-amino-1-[2,6-dichloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4-
(trifluoromethylsulfinyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carbonitrile

Who doesn't know that?

In all seriousness, this actually worries me. I'm not of the "not in my backyard" mindset. Even though I'm in NJ and this is happening in Texas, it's still bothering me. What's to stop these little bastards from going national?

On a site note:
I remember the whole "killer bees" episode some years back. When everyone was freaking out about bees migrating up from Texas. And the only way to survive would be to hop in your VW bug and head to football stadium where they can drop the temperature to freezing to kill all the bees gone postal. (old school movie reference)

[nihil]

Hi there ShagDevil,

What's to stop these little bastards from going national?

Major geographical barriers and climate I would say.

Negative did make an interesting point when he said that they knew how to deal with ants in Texas. Well yeah, but that is regular ants and termites.

Problem with these guys seems to be that they are more like "army ants" in that they do not form static colonies with a nest. They are nomadic in their lifestyle and just "bivouac". That's why you get so many of them, because you get the entire colony rather than just scouts and foragers.

I'm not of the "not in my backyard" mindset.

Exactly, it may not be the same insect but it is always a possibility and the problem would be the same? Hell, the origin of a "computer bug" is when a large moth shorted out two valves in an old analogue box

OT/ Regarding "killer bees". There was an interesting TV programme we watched a while back where they were saying that they are on a rapid decline. Apparently something to do with bee genetics means that the trait breeds out of them.

I spent over 10 years helping my father keep his bees...... he couldn't understand why I never got stung and he did. It was because he was lazy and would send me to give them their glucose food supplement in the winter................. so I was allowed to take the lids off their hives For insects they are pretty damn smart!

[Negative]

Negative did make an interesting point when he said that they knew how to deal with ants in Texas. Well yeah, but that is regular ants and termites.

I wouldn't call fire ants "regular ants"... The only good thing about this whole story is that those new crazy ants eat fire ants

[nihil]

By "regular" I mean that their lifestyle is common with most other ant species. Fireants are nasty little devils but they do build nests/mounds and behave much like other members of the species.

I did a quick search and found a site that suggested "Drax Gel" as a bait product. The active ingredient is boric acid, which is what I was suggesting.

[muert0]

Running a non-conductive screen inside the computer would probably help a little.

[MadBeaver]

I would try scaring them off with the threat of death. Cut the heads off of 100 ants and stick each of them on the top of a pin. Then stand them up like flag poles surrounding your computer. If nothing else I'm sure it would keep people away.

[n00bius]

ha, i'm in houston, recently had an ant issue at my old living space...but yes, the white stuff works, like in supernatural with the salt :]

[Cider]

You guys over in the northern hemisphere are a bunch of wierdos

Killer ants? Rofl?

[nihil]

Hey, we even import alcohol from you lot

[Gillis57]

Grits work, swells up in their stomachs... Or an alternative, import anteaters