Venomous, floating fire ants are invading Virginia
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"Aggressive" fire ants that float on water by linking thousands of their insect bodies together have invaded the Richmond area.
Why it matters: They mate in the air, thrive in heat, and form those life rafts to survive floods — which often happen around the James River.
Driving the news: Late last month, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced that imported fire ants have become "established" in more parts of the state.
- This includes Chesterfield, Petersburg, Hopewell and Colonial Heights.
- Previously, these containment zones were concentrated in southeast Virginia.
- Now they're in 33 localities and VDACS is trying to stop them from spreading to more.
Threat level: These invasive fire ants, run by queens and found in Virginia since 1989, can cause extremely painful stings, per VDACS.
- They won't kill you — unless you're allergic to their venom — but they could give you pus-filled blisters that last days.
- Their mounds can reach up to two feet tall and the average colony can contain up to 245,000 of them, according to the University of Tennessee.
- They also mate hundreds of feet in the air, usually after rainfall and when the temperature is between 70 and 95 degrees — which it will be all of this week.
Where they're found: Parks, lawns, fields, against buildings and around trees.
The good news: They don't typically enter homes, a spokesperson with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service tells Axios.
What to do if in a quarantine area: Wear closed-toe shoes, don't leave skin exposed or step on mounds (they'll be domed and won't have a hole on top like other ant mounds do), and leave the area if you spot them.
- You can also call your local Cooperative Extension office for help.
If not in a quarantine area but you see them, report it to the state here.
What NOT to do: Mow the mounds.
- VDACS also says to not move the following to avoid spreading the infestation: the fire ants themselves, non-store bought soil and plants, and logs with soil on them.
Sabrina's thought bubble: I'm not sure what's worse — STD-riddled "zombie" cicadas, giant spiders or flying fire ants.
Karri's thought bubble: Nope!