6 ms·

Houstonian here. Apparently all you need is some Dawn soap to break their surface tension! I've always been fascinated by ants since childhood and love watchi

Houstonian here. Apparently all you need is some Dawn soap to break their surface tension! I've always been fascinated by ants since childhood and love watching them, but these floating islands are the worst ambush I can imagine. Good to know they have a kryptonite.

yourapostasy 9y ago
Before readers run out and try this, there is a technique and protocol that should be followed, or you won't like the consequences. I'll let a post on /r/natureismetal do the typing for me [1], and here's a copy-pasta for those who don't want to click through (more scientific explanation [2] of why this works within seconds...to make sure around these bastards from hell, I gave 'em two minutes to display proof of death---put a stick in the drowned mass and lift it up---before I moved on to hunting down the next raft): -------- clip here -------- You're all going to love this. It's environmentally friendly, it's inexpensive, it's 100% lethal, and makes them die in the most horrible manner possible. Dish soap. Put a tablespoon or two into a spray bottle, then add about 2-3 cups of water. Swish the water to mix. Do not shake! You don't want foam in the bottle. MOVE. UP. STREAM. Seriously, you don't want to be downstream of this when it happens. Now, starting in the middle of the mass, start spritzing with the soapy water, and work your way out to the edges. The soap will break the surface tension, and act as a wetting agent on the ants. As a result, the water will now start wicking up their bodies, enveloping them like living quicksand. And with the surface tension broken, the mass of ants will start to sink. Remember, start in the middle! This will cause the center to sink first, and drag the edges down last. The ants will all hold on to each other and drag every last one below the surface. With a soft bloop, the entire mass will drop. Remember how I said to move upstream? If you're downstream, the entire submerged mass could end up wrapped around your legs. Where they will immediately begin clawing their way to the surface, using you as a ladder. Best of all, you can scale up your operation, and load a backpack sprayer with a bottle of Dawn and a few gallons of water. Then just wade through your neighborhood, wiping them out for the benefit of everyone! -------- clip here -------- [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/natureismetal/comments/6wkd4j/fireants_create_a_floating_island_of_themselves/dm90hkg/ https://www.reddit.com/r/natureismetal/comments/6wkd4j/firea... [2] https://www.livescience.com/13867-raft-fire-ants-buoyancy-flood-water-repellant-floatation.html https://www.livescience.com/13867-raft-fire-ants-buoyancy-fl...
- mixmastamyk 9y ago
  For someone out of the area, why would you do such a thing?
  - hguant 9y ago
    Because fire ants are invasive species made of spite.
  - drone 9y ago
    Fire ants are an invasive species which have wrecked havoc on the local ecology and cause serious human harm.
  - munificent 9y ago
    Fire ants are a foreign invasive species in the United states that kill animals, push out native ant species, cause incredibly painful stings, and trigger sometimes-fatal reactions in some people. They are nasty little balls of hate.
    - stephenhuey 9y ago
      Just combine the ruthlessness of Terminators and Aliens, shrink to insect size and multiply by billions.
  - Mz 9y ago
    You have obviously not been bitten by a fire ant. Their name was not inspired by their red color, but by their burning, venomous bites which leave huge weeping pustules. If you are allergic or sensitive, it is worse. If you had ever been bitten, you would understand the desire to kill them if you can, any way you can. (Bonus: According to the article, the floating ant rafts are 165% more venomous than usual. I cannot imagine.)
    - cat199 9y ago
      to put things in some perspective, they do suck, but are not as bad as a bee sting or wasp sting, at least in my opinion. However, you are much more likely to get a bazillion bites, for example if you step in a nest and don't notice it until they are crawling up your leg..
throw_away 9y ago
I hear about this solution every time these ant-balls are discussed, but I've yet to see a video despite extensive searching. I've seen countless videos of them floating, but none with them sinking. Has anyone found a video (or else is willing to make one :)?
cr0sh 9y ago
It makes me wonder if you couldn't use one of those "foam guns" or something similar to spread a bunch of such soap around? Or maybe whatever system they use to lay fire-fighting foam down at airports? Maybe just fire-fighting foam itself? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefighting_foam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefighting_foam
- joezydeco 9y ago
  Surfactants don't need much to do their work. A spray bottle with diluted soap would probably start the process of sinking the raft.
lisper 9y ago
It doesn't have to be Dawn. Any liquid soap will work.

yourapostasy 9y ago

Before readers run out and try this, there is a technique and protocol that should be followed, or you won't like the consequences. I'll let a post on /r/natureismetal do the typing for me [1], and here's a copy-pasta for those who don't want to click through (more scientific explanation [2] of why this works within seconds...to make sure around these bastards from hell, I gave 'em two minutes to display proof of death---put a stick in the drowned mass and lift it up---before I moved on to hunting down the next raft): -------- clip here -------- You're all going to love this. It's environmentally friendly, it's inexpensive, it's 100% lethal, and makes them die in the most horrible manner possible. Dish soap. Put a tablespoon or two into a spray bottle, then add about 2-3 cups of water. Swish the water to mix. Do not shake! You don't want foam in the bottle. MOVE. UP. STREAM. Seriously, you don't want to be downstream of this when it happens. Now, starting in the middle of the mass, start spritzing with the soapy water, and work your way out to the edges. The soap will break the surface tension, and act as a wetting agent on the ants. As a result, the water will now start wicking up their bodies, enveloping them like living quicksand. And with the surface tension broken, the mass of ants will start to sink. Remember, start in the middle! This will cause the center to sink first, and drag the edges down last. The ants will all hold on to each other and drag every last one below the surface. With a soft bloop, the entire mass will drop. Remember how I said to move upstream? If you're downstream, the entire submerged mass could end up wrapped around your legs. Where they will immediately begin clawing their way to the surface, using you as a ladder. Best of all, you can scale up your operation, and load a backpack sprayer with a bottle of Dawn and a few gallons of water. Then just wade through your neighborhood, wiping them out for the benefit of everyone! -------- clip here -------- [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/natureismetal/comments/6wkd4j/fireants_create_a_floating_island_of_themselves/dm90hkg/ https://www.reddit.com/r/natureismetal/comments/6wkd4j/firea... [2] https://www.livescience.com/13867-raft-fire-ants-buoyancy-flood-water-repellant-floatation.html https://www.livescience.com/13867-raft-fire-ants-buoyancy-fl...

mixmastamyk 9y ago
For someone out of the area, why would you do such a thing?
- hguant 9y ago
  Because fire ants are invasive species made of spite.
- drone 9y ago
  Fire ants are an invasive species which have wrecked havoc on the local ecology and cause serious human harm.
- munificent 9y ago
  Fire ants are a foreign invasive species in the United states that kill animals, push out native ant species, cause incredibly painful stings, and trigger sometimes-fatal reactions in some people. They are nasty little balls of hate.
  - stephenhuey 9y ago
    Just combine the ruthlessness of Terminators and Aliens, shrink to insect size and multiply by billions.
- Mz 9y ago
  You have obviously not been bitten by a fire ant. Their name was not inspired by their red color, but by their burning, venomous bites which leave huge weeping pustules. If you are allergic or sensitive, it is worse. If you had ever been bitten, you would understand the desire to kill them if you can, any way you can. (Bonus: According to the article, the floating ant rafts are 165% more venomous than usual. I cannot imagine.)
  - cat199 9y ago
    to put things in some perspective, they do suck, but are not as bad as a bee sting or wasp sting, at least in my opinion. However, you are much more likely to get a bazillion bites, for example if you step in a nest and don't notice it until they are crawling up your leg..

throw_away 9y ago

I hear about this solution every time these ant-balls are discussed, but I've yet to see a video despite extensive searching. I've seen countless videos of them floating, but none with them sinking. Has anyone found a video (or else is willing to make one :)?

cr0sh 9y ago

It makes me wonder if you couldn't use one of those "foam guns" or something similar to spread a bunch of such soap around? Or maybe whatever system they use to lay fire-fighting foam down at airports? Maybe just fire-fighting foam itself? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefighting_foam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefighting_foam

joezydeco 9y ago
Surfactants don't need much to do their work. A spray bottle with diluted soap would probably start the process of sinking the raft.

lisper 9y ago

It doesn't have to be Dawn. Any liquid soap will work.