Suicide ants?

vipes · #1 (**permalink**) 12-08-2009, 12:28 AM

I read an article stating that some areas of Britan have been hit by the Asian Super Ant, that have an affinity with eletricicty, crawling into plug sockets and other devices and getting fried.

Is there such a creature?

Geoff F · #2 (**permalink**) 12-08-2009, 09:40 PM

Radio 4 had an article about them recently on the PM programme so there must be some truth in the story. An egineer for one of the power companies said that this species, the name eludes me, is attracted to electricity and they pack themselves into electrical switchgear boxes which can cause a risk of fire or short circuit.

But it seems to occur mostly in isolated small transformer stations etc. As far as I am aware there hasn't been any problem with normal household wiring; at least, not yet!

vipes · #3 (**permalink**) 13-08-2009, 02:06 AM

Thanks! I wonder why they do such a thing?!

Tormentil · #4 (**permalink**) 13-08-2009, 08:15 AM

They think they're amps instead of ants ?

Jim Ford · #5 (**permalink**) 13-08-2009, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tormentil

They think they're amps instead of ants ?

I'll get your hat and help you on with your coat!

Jim

diggleken · #6 (**permalink**) 13-08-2009, 09:43 AM

I'm with Tormentil on this - I think also they have eloped from Asia and are thus also known as ant-elopes.............................
Cheers, hic,
Ken

Jason Green · #7 (**permalink**) 13-08-2009, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tormentil

They think they're amps instead of ants ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

I'll get your hat and help you on with your coat!

...and I'll personally escort you to the door and help you through it

Thanks for posting, Vipes. Some research... it turns out this is that new ant species discovered in 20yrs back, that nests underground and links various independent ones into a huge underground 'supercolony'. This is from the BBC website:

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Gloucestershire | Fire risk 'super' ants discovered

Hope this helps

Geoff F · #8 (**permalink**) 13-08-2009, 04:02 PM

I seem to remember something about Australian 'Dreaming Ants' which line themselves up exactly on a north to south line. Not sure if it is magnetic north or true north though.

But it is quite possible that this is an electo-magnetic attraction.

Jim Ford · #9 (**permalink**) 13-08-2009, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff F

I Not sure if it is magnetic north or true north though.

I don't think it would be true North, unless the ants were able to get a fix on the Pole Star!

Jim

fuggles · #10 (**permalink**) 13-08-2009, 05:02 PM

Hi
Not long after we moved in to our house, the telephone would keep rining, not long rings as normal just the odd tinkle. I telephoned B.T (who was the only phone company at the time) after testing the line said that there ws a fault, and as the phone kept ringing to leave it off of the hook that night. An engineer called the next day and when he opened the little box where the phone is plugged in he found it full of and that had died after eletricuted themselves when they walked across the terminal. He put in a new box in another location and we have had no propblem since.
Chrissie