The Nightmare in Houston Just Got Worse: Deadly Floating Fire Ants?

As the nation looks on in horror at the flood caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston, another horror threatens Texans forced to wade chest deep in water. Floating fire ant colonies that can kill those they run into.

Ants, like humans, don’t like flooding. They’ve adapted to it — perhaps better than we have — by being able to essentially float around as a colony until they find dry land, protecting their queen in the process. However, during that period they’re extremely vulnerable, especially as their queen is exposed, and that makes them defensive.

Some ants will bite you, but they can’t do much damage. These deadly floating ant colonies, as funny as the idea sounds, sting and are aggressive even under normal circumstances. Stranded people in Houston already have to deal with the loss of their homes and personal belongings and the fact that they have nowhere to go. Their city — the fourth largest in the United States — may never be the same. 

The flooding from Hurricane Harvey and surrounding areas is a national tragedy. Before the rain began yet again, the report was that Houston had received a year’s worth of rain in a little over 24 hours. It led to tremendous flooding and thousands of people with nowhere to go, no electricity, limited food and no clean water.

So, our hearts go out to those in Houston and if you’d like to donate to the Red Cross or Salvation Army to help those in Houston just survive, and hopefully avoid the floating nightmare that is a fire ant colony, here’s that information:

Salvation Army

Donations to the Salvation Army to support the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts can be made:

• Online at helpsalvationarmy.org.
• By calling 1-800- SAL-ARMY
• By texting STORM to 51555.

Red Cross

Donations to the Red Cross to support the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts can be made:

• Online at redcross.org.
• By calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.
• By texting the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

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