A walk of pain: Fire ants lurking in Ian's floodwaters
With the storm surge and torrential rain that bought floodwaters to Florida's coastline and central Florida, there is another threat that packs a big punch from really tiny creatures who also evacuated in the midst of Ian: fire ants.
A cluster of fire ants sit in floodwaters in Orlando, Fla.
(FOX 35 Orlando)
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Although Ian has moved away from Florida, the catastrophic impact of the storm remains.
Countless buildings have been destroyed, roads washed out, cars have sunk and power was knocked out to well over 2 million customers.
With the storm surge and torrential rain that bought floodwaters to Florida's coastline and central Florida, there is another threat that packs a big punch from really tiny creatures who also evacuated in the midst of Hurricane Ian: fire ants.
When floodwaters rise, fire ants will evacuate their homes and form an "ant boat," where they cling to each other to hold their breath and keep afloat.
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At first glance, the ant flotilla looks like a pile of dirt or some debris. At a closer glance, the small insects can be seen swarming around each other as they fight to stay above the water.
Residents in Florida who find themselves walking through floodwaters will want to be careful because if your leg or chest hits this colony of fire ants, thousands may run for higher ground, which to them, is your body.
The ants link their legs together, so they can float to a new dry location where they can rebuild their colony.
If you do happen to get stung by one of these ants -- or several of them -- you'll have to pull each one off individually.
When fire ants feel threatened, they'll sting their predator and hold on with their mandibles for as long as possible.