How Do Ants Float on Water in Belleview, FL? Floating Fire Ant Rafts During Floods

Ants are resilient creatures; as ants have been on the planet for billions of years they can adapt to many different situations. They are notoriously known for slipping into our homes and making off with any food they can. Fire ants in particular are on of the most aggressive species of ants and are common throughout the country. Despite their protective nature concerning their nests, these little creatures have powerful survival instincts and we at Pest 911 would like to discuss fire ants and the impact of flooding.

Fire Ant Colony Structure & Mound Identification

With the recent hurricane and flooding that is causing catastrophe in Texas, we want to discuss how fire ants and other species survive the mayhem. As previously mentioned, fire ants are very aggressive if they feel in danger or their nest is threatened. They will deliver multiple painful stings that is laced with venom. Eating anything from proteins to sweets that include dead insects, grains, fruits and veggies and anything else they can manage, fire ants usually stick to the outdoors but will come inside in an effort to forage for food or if the climate conditions have significantly altered. If you have fire ants traversing your landscaping, you will find dirt mounds scattered here and there and these mounds will lead to the heart of the nest. Once the colony is established, fire ants can thrive and reproduce quickly, some colonies can have as many 250,000 workers in the colony.

Fire Ants Floating on Water During Floods

First responders are actually dealing with islands of fire ants among the mayhem along with dodging the alligators and debris in Houston, Texas. Evacuees and volunteers as well as news teams have captured sight of these impressive live rafts as thousands of fire ants bond together to survive the flood. The fire ant islands have the ability to float for days or as long as it takes to find a tree or dry land as these ants take advantage of the new habitat formed by the floods. When their nest first is penetrated with water, and before the nest is completely submerged, ants will quickly cluster together, binding together with their powerful jaws and the sticky pads under their legs in less than two minutes. To ensure none of the ants drown, the ants on the bottom will make their way to the top as the continuous rotation progresses. In an effort to preserve their beloved queen and precious new babies, they are immediately pushed to the top center of the cluster for safe keeping. Depending on the colony size, these ant islands consists of anywhere from thousands to even millions of ants.

Ant Control

Like any living thing trying to survive a flood, they will grab onto anything they can, including people as they make way to safety and will potentially sting. Spraying the ants with detergents can ward off the swarms but avoiding these little rafts is optimal as people wade through the flooded waters. Illinois is just as susceptible to flooding as many other places and if you are captured in the unfortunate event, be sure to stay clear of these little ant islands. Contact Pest 911 for ant and other pest control to eliminate pests before they increase in numbers.