Crazy Raspberry Ants - A new "bug" in your PC?

Ever heard of an insect that attacks and destroys electronic equipment?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/04/earlyshow/main20115225.shtml

Yes, they are really called Crazy Raspberry Ants (named after Tom Raspberry, the exterminator who discovered the first US infestation of the pests near Houston in 2002).

There have already been a few cases around Houston where the ants invaded homes and took up residence in microwave ovens, desktop PCs and flat screen TVs (can you say "ZAP!" boys and girls? I knew you could. :-D ).

The scariest parts are that the first sign of an infestation is usually when your PC or TV blows up, and traditional insecticides are useless against killing them.

 

LOL, that's a weird one! I had an invasion of spiders that were incubated in my CRT. One day they just came crawling out, all these little baby spidey's!:eek At first I thought I had been hit by a screensaver joke but when they started crawling on the bezel I thought I was either having the DT's or an actual invasion!:-D

Reflecting upon this incident, I realized that my heating with wood was the culprit, and when the wood should be stacked inside.:eek That had to be my worst experience ever. I don't know how many I killed, must be in the hundreds. I hate spiders but remember, there's always at least one within one metre from you at all times, except in Antarctica of course.

Now where's that crawling spider screensaver when I need it? :-D:-D

 

Now that is scary... I hope those nasty Crazy Rapsberry Ants don't come here... :crybaby :boxing

Shelagh

 

Given you're in Canada you're probably safe for awhile. Nobody knows yet if these ants can survive prolonged temps below 0C/32F.

 

Well.... That makes me feel a whole lot better :celebrate Thank goodness for cold weather :celebrate

 

The solution is to turn off your heat, or keep your CPU out on your unheated porch.... rolleyes

Actually the ants seem to still be in Texas - for now.

 

Umm wow, I hate spiders :guns

 

It's the "for now" part that's scary.

Fire ants first hit the US in the 1930s in the Mobile, Alabama area. Now they're found in about half of the country.

If history repeats, using "RAID" on a PC may mean something else besides a hard drive array. (groan) :foolish