What's the danger of floating fire ant colony rafts? Learn more about the insect survival strategy in this HowStuffWorks article.

Aug 31, 2017 · However, in a flood situation, there is an unexpected way to battle the balls of fire ants: spraying them with diluted biodegradable dishwashing liquid, at a ration of about two tablespoons...

Sep 1, 2017 · Fire ants made incredible floating rafts to escape devastating flooding in South Carolina. How and why do the ants make these symmetrical but very different shapes? They depend on touch and...

Aug 27, 2017 · “Floating fire ant colonies can look like ribbons, streamers, mats, rafts, or an actual “ball” of ants floating on the water.” If you have to get in flood waters, make sure you’re dressed for it:...

Mar 20, 2025 · An ant ball is a spherical or raft-like structure formed by ants interlinking their bodies, usually in response to flooding or other environmental threats. It’s a survival mechanism that allows the colony to stay afloat and protect its most vulnerable members.

Aug 31, 2017 · However, in a flood situation, there is an unexpected way to battle the balls of fire ants: spraying them with diluted biodegradable dishwashing liquid, at a ration of about two tablespoons of...

Jun 13, 2014 · Now, researchers have discovered one architectural secret behind the ant rafts. The ants, it turns out, cling to one another using all six of their legs—a single ant can have up to 20 of its...

Floating fire ant colonies can look like ribbons, streamers, or as a ball of ants floating on the water. These amoeba-like masses of ants contain all of the colonies’ members – the worker ants, brood (eggs, larvae, pupae), winged reproductive males and females, and queen ants.

The entire colony of ants abandon their mound when floods arrive. They then bind together into a ball that floats on the flood waters until the ants drift to higher ground. The ants within this living, seething mass reposition themselves so that no ant is left underwater for too long.

Jan 25, 2013 · Red imported fire ants are extremely resilient, and have adapted to contend with both flooding and drought conditions. If the ants sense increased water levels in their nests, they will come...