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Texas flooding (May 2015)

Fire ants create floating rafts to face South Carolina flooding

Mary Bowerman
USA TODAY Network
Thousands of ants float in South Carolina flood waters.

As floodwaters from the storm that South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and others have termed a 1-in-1,000-year event ravaged the state, several photographers captured what appeared to be mounds of floating fire ants.

Floating fire ant island will make your skin crawl

Amid the devastation caused by flooding, the state's invasive fire ant population found a little-known way to survive.

In video captured by WSAV-TV, thousands of ants appeared to pile atop each other in "floating islands in Dorchester County, S.C.," the station reports.

 

 

The red imported fire ant is known for its bite, which can cause small blisters that burn and itch.

This isn't the first time people have seen masses of floating fire ants. In May, following deadly flooding in Texas, residents also reported seeing droves of ants in flooded yards.

And while it sounds like something out of a horror movie, the technique by fire ants has been used for eons to escape flooding and migrate long distances, according to Tim Davis, an entomologist and Clemson University senior extension agent. 

In under two minutes, fire ants can link together to assemble floating rafts, Davis told USA TODAY Network.

“If the water rises, they kind of all grab a hold of each other, and they can do this for several days, until they reach higher ground,” Davis said.  

The ants have a water-resistant shell and secrete oil that allows them to attach to smooth surfaces, according to engineering professor David Hu and graduate student Nathan J. Mlot, LiveScience reported.

Davis said it's not uncommon to come across the rafts of floating ants, and said they have even been found indoors after a flooding event. He said it's important for people to stay out of the flood waters and avoid the masses of ants at all cost. 

“If one of those rafts comes in contact with you, or you try to break it apart, it will likely disperse and crawl up you," he said. 

Follow @MaryBowerman on Twitter.

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