Filed under: Odds and ends
Engadget: Houston overrun by electronics-killing ants
It sounds like the plot of a Roger Corman film, I know, but as reported on our sister blog, apparently swaths of Texas are being overrun by "Crazy Rasberry Ants," named for their discoverer (and exterminator) Tom Rasberry, not for the tasty fruit.
The ants, for some reason, are attracted to electrical equipment, including your Mac. A friendly chat with an AppleCare representative revealed that AppleCare policies do not cover insect infestation. Instead, the rep helpfully suggested that your renter's or homeowner's policy might cover the computer instead.
The ants arrived in the U.S. via a shipping container. They reproduce quickly, and are very difficult to kill. Might be worth it to keep an eye out. Apparently, they've been spotted near Johnson Space Center, and who knows what secrets they could be after.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jason Martin said 5:13PM on 5-15-2008
My office is literally in NASA's backyard (I can see the field surrounding the NASA complex from my office window), and I can vouch for some wield electronic stuff going on here. Although I don't know if it has anything to do with these ants, but our building security system has been acting up, and so has credit card readers, of all things. Wierd.
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Aron T said 5:21PM on 5-15-2008
You forgot to mention they avoid pesticides by building bridges over it using the decaying carcasses of their own dead!
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yellowplantain said 6:10PM on 5-15-2008
I for one welcome our new alien ant overlords.
Ken Murphy said 6:22PM on 5-15-2008
Seriously, it took 3 replies to get the Simpsons quote?
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David said 6:47PM on 5-15-2008
And as I just discovered this week...if you have a laptop covered under your Renter's or Homeowner's policy, that's ONLY while it's in the house. You'll need a Personal Articles policy to cover it while you have it out and about.
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Robert Palmer said 6:49PM on 5-15-2008
Wow -- that's good to know. Thanks for that!
David said 7:14PM on 5-15-2008
I know. Luckily I found that out from my insurance agent BEFORE anything happened to my laptop.
homagetogorto said 7:35PM on 5-15-2008
The link to Roger Corman is broken -- it should go to mst3kinfo.com. That's the only non-fatal way to watch a Roger Corman film. :)
I wonder if the ants are here to provide backup to the killer bees.
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homagetogorto said 7:37PM on 5-15-2008
Correction: the link to Roger Corman is DISTURBING. I had no idea he was still making movies.
I'm deeply unsettled now.
Robert Palmer said 7:45PM on 5-15-2008
You might be relieved to know that Cinematic Titanic is doing Roger Corman's "The Wasp Woman" next.
I'll agree with you though -- his movies are unspeakably poor.
Sir. Poopy Pants said 8:20PM on 5-15-2008
This is no laughing matter. What happens if these things get in the space shuttle and do some damage?
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Lhasapso said 8:42PM on 5-15-2008
Then you open the airlock.
nintendo fanboy hater said 10:07PM on 5-15-2008
did anybody think of feeding these pesky raspberry ants raspberries
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Johnny said 11:21PM on 5-15-2008
It's funny that I live in Houston and I only first heard about this on engadget and now here. Fortunately, I live on the other side of town from the infestation, and hopefully they'll find the right poison before they spread this far.
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tavanier said 7:18AM on 5-16-2008
This is why I live in Vermont. So cold those ants will not live although they might decide to build warming huts.
Here is an idea, lets take a bunch of these let them multiply and drop them over IRAN. Far better than a war.
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krye said 8:46AM on 5-16-2008
Yeh, but they don't have anything electronic.
chris said 2:49PM on 5-16-2008
I think the movie that is being referred to is the classic by Saul Bass. It was named Phase IV. It made my skin crawl as a kid.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=d3RFjpN6vbo
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Andy said 3:05PM on 5-16-2008
Bug zapper.
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Nate said 2:26AM on 5-17-2008
Um... you guys are elitist jerks.Cormans films are good,lurid,campy fun. He eeven made a few great films.The Poe films of the mid 60's with dear old Vincent Price,Boxcar Bertha(Scorsese's first picture)is priceless. I think Frankenstein Unbound is one of the best of the Frankenstein canon. If you cant have a good laugh WITH NOT AT, a film like Death Race 2000(having fun and luaghing with a cheezy movie is a good life affirming experience....looking down your nose at stuff you could never pull off is lame) I would classify you as an uptight assh*&e. Are you really trying to tell me Jurrasic Park is really a better film than Carnosaur?? Why? Because it has better illusions done by my machines?? Is Titanic not a piece of maudlin horse puckey because of its production value? The mere fact he was in Hollywood but outside the studio system completley,yet VERY successful should be some sort of inspiration to every indie promoter/film-maker/publisher/punk rock band....you name it. Fact: Wasp Woman is at least entertaining as craptaculer camp.....WITH MONSTERS!!! You losers probably watch CSI and use dick&ead phrases like "guilty pleasure" I feel no more guilt for wanting to watch monsters eat people than I do for doing drugs or having casual sex. Up yours you snobs!
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Robert Palmer said 1:01PM on 5-17-2008
Wow. Lighten up, Francis.