NBC

Floating Venomous Fire Ants Add to Threats in Hurricane's Wake

The insects effectively form life rafts, with those on the outer layers creating an almost air-tight hull

What’s red, clingy and a menace confronting survivors of Hurricane Harvey? Fire ants.

They sting. They’re venomous. And they're looking for any dry place — from rescue boat, to backpack, to pant leg — to set up new housekeeping, NBC News reported.

The tiny creatures link together in colonies of as many as 100,000 to survive threats like floods. Many giant floating nests have been spotted around Houston and surrounding communities.

The insects effectively form life rafts, with those on the outer layers creating an almost air-tight hull, to ferry thousands of their fellow ants to dry landing areas.

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