Electric ants?

[The Snark]

There are very small. Approximately 1/4 the size of the common black ant of North America. They move, colonize, create a nest with incredible speed, commonly within a few hours, and in the strangest places. They seem to prefer creating these nests in electronic and electrical aplliances.
I have found them in an electric razor, a 35mm camera, a TV remote controller, an 'air pump' hot water maker, and most recently a live 240 volt extension cord plug.

They invaded the remote control only a few hours after it had been used and had established a full colony with eggs after less than 8 hours. They were able to invade the camera's internal componentry with ease.

Once they have invaded, they attacked metal objects, circuit boards, zinc plated connectors etc, with (I presume) formic acid causing corrosion quite rapidly.

Has anyone every heard of these guys and have some idea why they are so attracted to electrical conductors and why they have an apparent affinity for metals?

 

[Stylopidae]

somebody (Galapoheros, I believe) had fire ants nesting in a chainsaw...the pic should be on the boards.

 

[darkness]

that happened somewhere too because i heaard they short wired the computer by messing up the wires>>>>>.:wall:

 

[edesign]

There are very small. Approximately 1/4 the size of the common black ant of North America. They move, colonize, create a nest with incredible speed, commonly within a few hours, and in the strangest places. They seem to prefer creating these nests in electronic and electrical aplliances.
I have found them in an electric razor, a 35mm camera, a TV remote controller, an 'air pump' hot water maker, and most recently a live 240 volt extension cord plug.

They invaded the remote control only a few hours after it had been used and had established a full colony with eggs after less than 8 hours. They were able to invade the camera's internal componentry with ease.

Once they have invaded, they attacked metal objects, circuit boards, zinc plated connectors etc, with (I presume) formic acid causing corrosion quite rapidly.

Has anyone every heard of these guys and have some idea why they are so attracted to electrical conductors and why they have an apparent affinity for metals?

yes, i have heard of a particular species of ant doing this a few years ago on a TV show. However, as with things more than a week or two ago, I don't recall what they were called lol. I also don't recall what attracted them, but there are some that do like electronics for whatever reason :?

 

[Fini]

I've seen this three times. Always at work in the computer labs, twice in surge protectors and the other inside a network switch. It's a little freaky; as you are waiting for the ants to burst into flames.

I read some place that they are attracted to the magnetic field electronics give off.