PDA

View Full Version : Ant Balls in New Orleans

CalMeacham
09-01-2005, 08:38 AM
Very weird stuff coming out of New Orleans:


Ant balls not an urban myth

In addition to all of the other horrors befalling New Orleanians during the flood was the creepy discovery that red ants form themselves into floating clusters to avoid drowning. As Dante Ramos and I paddled along Carrollton Avenue on Wednesday, I saw two glittering, golf ball-sized masses of ants floating beside our canoe.

- Doug MacCash


http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_08.html#075568
Shirley Ujest
09-01-2005, 08:46 AM
Ok.

I could live with out that visual.

Floating Fire Ants in a flood.


Is this reality or some 50's B Movie Schlock fest?


Tom Servo, is that you?





/fire ants scare the bezeebies out of me.
plnnr
09-01-2005, 08:47 AM
Imagine how small the jock straps must be....
The King of Soup
09-01-2005, 08:50 AM
If this was the first time Mr. MacCash had seen this phenomenon, I suppose it would have been his debut - ant ball, which are common in New Orleans.

I have the utmost sympathy for Katrina's victims. But the bad pun was obscuring everything else in my field of vision. No offense intended.
Larry Mudd
09-01-2005, 10:14 AM
I could live with out that visual.No (http://static.flickr.com/1/721128_ae40ff9063_m.jpg) you (http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/9810/23/texas.floods.03/fire.ants.jpg) can't. (http://claycoleman.tripod.com/4c3bcd30.jpg)
Kalhoun
09-01-2005, 10:15 AM
Oh...those ant balls.
Kalhoun
09-01-2005, 10:17 AM
Seriously, that's the damnedest thing I've ever seen. Well maybe not THE damnedest...but it's up there.
Tupug Anachi
09-01-2005, 10:33 AM
Not something you want to wade through, I suggest. :(
lieu
09-01-2005, 10:35 AM
No, not lest you'd want to get a pair yourself.
Shirley Ujest
09-01-2005, 04:21 PM
No (http://static.flickr.com/1/721128_ae40ff9063_m.jpg) you (http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/9810/23/texas.floods.03/fire.ants.jpg) can't. (http://claycoleman.tripod.com/4c3bcd30.jpg)


Larry, what is your address so that I may direct my therapy and med bill to for those visuals that are now burning in my brain?
Sampiro
09-01-2005, 04:55 PM
Slight hijack, but I keep wondering about wildlife in the waters. In addition to sewage, the people remaining from NOLA to South Alabama have to be wading in water occupied by snakes, alligators, turtles (which for those who don't know can be vicious little bastards capable of biting a plug out of any human) and all other manner of creepy crawlies. I'm surprised none have been seen on camera.
Shagnasty
09-01-2005, 05:31 PM
I have waded in flood water with those ant balls in another part of Louisiana. They are disgusting and fire ant bites hurt, especially if there are a lot of them. I always took sticks and tried to beat them apart but they just form again. There are usually a lot of dead ants that form the core of those balls.
NoPretentiousCodename
09-01-2005, 05:43 PM
"Be the ball. Be the ball!"
Zebra
09-01-2005, 10:56 PM
Who taught them how to melt ice?