<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head><base href="/"><title>How To Combat Floating Fire Ant Rafts In Hurricane Harvey Flooding</title><meta charset="UTF-8"><meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1"><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1,maximum-scale=1,user-scalable=no"><link rel="canonical" itemprop="url" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2017/08/31/the-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey/"><script>!function(e){function n(r){if(t[r])return t[r].exports;var o=t[r]={i:r,l:!1,exports:{}};return e[r].call(o.exports,o,o.exports,n),o.l=!0,o.exports}var r=window.webpackJsonp;window.webpackJsonp=function(t,c,a){for(var i,u,f,s=0,d=[];s<t.length;s++)u=t[s],o[u]&&d.push(o[u][0]),o[u]=0;for(i in c)Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(c,i)&&(e[i]=c[i]);for(r&&r(t,c,a);d.length;)d.shift()();if(a)for(s=0;s<a.length;s++)f=n(n.s=a[s]);return f};var t={},o={6:0};n.e=function(e){function 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content="123694841080850"><meta property="og:site_name" content="Forbes"><meta name="twitter:site" content="@forbes"><meta name="description" content="The floating mounds of fire ant colonies seen after the devastating floods have caught the eye of many people on social media. Avoiding the ants' painful stings is important for those who may encounter these flotillas. Disposing of them may be as simple as using liquid detergent." itemprop="description"><meta name="keywords" content="" itemprop="keywords"><meta name="author" content="Robert Glatter, MD" itemprop="author"><meta property="og:title" content="How To Combat Floating Fire Ant Rafts In Hurricane Harvey Flooding"><meta property="og:image" content="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/600x315/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F705158014%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale"><meta property="og:updated_time" content="2017-08-31T14:20:04-04:00"><meta property="og:url" content="https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2017/08/31/the-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey/"><meta property="og:description" content="The floating mounds of fire ant colonies seen after the devastating floods have caught the eye of many people on social media. Avoiding the ants' painful stings is important for those who may encounter these flotillas. Disposing of them may be as simple as using liquid detergent."><meta property="og:type" content="article"><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"><meta name="twitter:title" content="How To Combat Floating Fire Ant Rafts In Hurricane Harvey Flooding"><meta name="twitter:description" content="The floating mounds of fire ant colonies seen after the devastating floods have caught the eye of many people on social media. Avoiding the ants' painful stings is important for those who may encounter these flotillas. 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<!----><h1 _ngcontent-c15="" class="fs-headline speakable-headline">How To Combat Floating Fire Ant Rafts In Hurricane Harvey Flooding</h1>

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		<div _ngcontent-c31="" class="fs-text-xs" innerhtml="<span class=&quot;tweet_quote&quot;> <a href=&quot;https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Frobertglatter%2F2017%2F08%2F31%2Fthe-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey%2F&amp;amp;text=Soapy%20water%20may%20be%20the%20fire%20ant%E2%80%99s%20Achilles%E2%80%99%20tendon%2C%20however&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;>Soapy water may be the fire ant&amp;#8217;s Achilles tendon, however<span></span></a></span>"><span class="tweet_quote"> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Frobertglatter%2F2017%2F08%2F31%2Fthe-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey%2F&amp;text=Soapy%20water%20may%20be%20the%20fire%20ant%E2%80%99s%20Achilles%E2%80%99%20tendon%2C%20however" target="_blank">Soapy water may be the fire ant’s Achilles tendon, however<span></span></a></span></div>
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		<div _ngcontent-c31="" class="fs-text-xs" innerhtml="<span class=&quot;tweet_quote&quot;> <a href=&quot;https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Frobertglatter%2F2017%2F08%2F31%2Fthe-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey%2F&amp;amp;text=Research%20has%20shown%20that%20soapy%20water%20spritzed%20on%20a%20floating%20fire%20ant%20raft%20will%20sink%20and%20kill%20it&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;>Research has shown that soapy water spritzed on a floating fire ant raft will sink and kill it<span></span></a></span>"><span class="tweet_quote"> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Frobertglatter%2F2017%2F08%2F31%2Fthe-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey%2F&amp;text=Research%20has%20shown%20that%20soapy%20water%20spritzed%20on%20a%20floating%20fire%20ant%20raft%20will%20sink%20and%20kill%20it" target="_blank">Research has shown that soapy water spritzed on a floating fire ant raft will sink and kill it<span></span></a></span></div>
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<div _ngcontent-c20="" innerhtml="<p>By now, many have seen the stunning images of flotillas of fire ant colonies meandering along new rivers created by the massive floods throughout cities and towns affected by Hurricane Harvey.</p> 
<div class=&quot;youtube-wrapper&quot;> 
  
</div> 
<p><span>What’s so striking about these images is that aside from the sheer horror of encountering one of these colonies, the evolutionary adaptation of fire ants to build such rafts for survival is quite incredible, and ingenious to say the very least. </span></p> 
<div id=&quot;attachment_705158014&quot; class=&quot;wp-caption alignnone&quot;> 
 <div class=&quot;article-body-image&quot;> 
  <progressive-image class=&quot;progressive-placeholder&quot; src=&quot;https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fimageserve%2F705158014%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale&quot; low-res-src=&quot;https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/100x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fimageserve%2F705158014%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale&quot;></progressive-image> 
 </div> 
 <div article-image-caption=&quot;&quot;> 
  <div class=&quot;caption-container&quot; ng-class=&quot;caption_state&quot;> 
   <fbs-accordion current=&quot;0&quot;> 
    <p class=&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;>Fire ants can join together to form floating rafts after a flood (courtesy of Shutterstock)</p> 
   </fbs-accordion> 
  </div> 
 </div> 
</div> 
<p><span>Fire ants are part of everyday life for anyone who lives along the Gulf Coast. It's estimated that close to 40 million people live in areas infested with the red imported fire ant (RIFA) in the southeastern U.S., with approximately 60% of people living in these areas stung annually.</span></p> 
<p> 
 </p> 
<p><span>While the bulk of fire ant species do not adversely impact us, the RIFA is a different story altogether.&amp;nbsp; </span></p> 
<p><span>In fact, data from the FDA indicates that more than $5 billion is spent yearly to contain damage of the RIFA, the bulk related to medical treatment and damage control in areas infested with the RIFA. And nearly $750 million a year is also attributed to loss of livestock, as well as overall agricultural losses from the RIFA.</span></p> 
<p><span>Rafts of floating ants may contain anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000 ants, and they can live for up to 12 days under simulated flood conditions in laboratory experiments.</span></p> 
<p><span>While there is no data so far on just how common the floating rafts of fire ants are, one entomologist believes some neighborhoods will likely see a fair number of these teeming flotillas. But fire ants are ubiquitous in the Southeast and&amp;nbsp;can potentially show up anywhere.</span></p> 
<div class=&quot;vestpocket&quot; vest-pocket=&quot;&quot;></div>"><p class="speakable-paragraph">By now, many have seen the stunning images of flotillas of fire ant colonies meandering along new rivers created by the massive floods throughout cities and towns affected by Hurricane Harvey.</p> 
<div class="youtube-wrapper"> 
  
</div> 
<p><span>What’s so striking about these images is that aside from the sheer horror of encountering one of these colonies, the evolutionary adaptation of fire ants to build such rafts for survival is quite incredible, and ingenious to say the very least. </span></p> 
<div id="attachment_705158014" class="wp-caption alignnone"> 
 <div class="article-body-image"> 
  <progressive-image class="progressive-placeholder" src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fimageserve%2F705158014%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale" low-res-src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/100x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fimageserve%2F705158014%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale"></progressive-image> 
 </div> 
 <div article-image-caption=""> 
  <div class="caption-container" ng-class="caption_state"> 
   <fbs-accordion current="0"> 
    <p class="wp-caption-text">Fire ants can join together to form floating rafts after a flood (courtesy of Shutterstock)</p> 
   </fbs-accordion> 
  </div> 
 </div> 
</div> 
<p><span>Fire ants are part of everyday life for anyone who lives along the Gulf Coast. It's estimated that close to 40 million people live in areas infested with the red imported fire ant (RIFA) in the southeastern U.S., with approximately 60% of people living in these areas stung annually.</span></p> 
<p> 
 </p> 
<p><span>While the bulk of fire ant species do not adversely impact us, the RIFA is a different story altogether.&nbsp; </span></p> 
<p><span>In fact, data from the FDA indicates that more than $5 billion is spent yearly to contain damage of the RIFA, the bulk related to medical treatment and damage control in areas infested with the RIFA. And nearly $750 million a year is also attributed to loss of livestock, as well as overall agricultural losses from the RIFA.</span></p> 
<p><span>Rafts of floating ants may contain anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000 ants, and they can live for up to 12 days under simulated flood conditions in laboratory experiments.</span></p> 
<p><span>While there is no data so far on just how common the floating rafts of fire ants are, one entomologist believes some neighborhoods will likely see a fair number of these teeming flotillas. But fire ants are ubiquitous in the Southeast and&nbsp;can potentially show up anywhere.</span></p> 
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	</app-root><script id="ng-templates-state" type="application/json">{&q;environmentName&q;:&q;prod&q;,&q;is_mobile&q;:false,&q;/forbesapi/content/uri.json?shortcodes=true&a;slides=true&a;type=ng&a;tickers=true&a;bvallpages=true&a;autovpslider=true&a;stream=true&a;compressimages=true&a;mobile=false&a;prgsmobileads=false&a;relativeVideo=true&a;videoplayertype=brightcove_perform_with_keyvalues&a;swimlane=&a;uri=http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2017/08/31/the-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey/&q;:{&q;content&q;:{&q;id&q;:&q;content_59a779e364aaf97b128dd773&q;,&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAndPostId/blog/post/2002-9938&q;,&q;source&q;:&q;blogs&q;,&q;author&q;:&q;Robert Glatter, MD&q;,&q;title&q;:&q;How To Combat Floating Fire Ant Rafts In Hurricane Harvey Flooding&q;,&q;date&q;:1504154100000,&q;body&q;:&q;&l;p&g;By now, many have seen the stunning images of flotillas of fire ant colonies meandering along new rivers created by the massive floods throughout cities and towns affected by Hurricane Harvey.\r\n\r\n[youtubevid id=\&q;i9gL4lYqv1c\&q;]\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;What&a;rsquo;s so striking about these images is that aside from the sheer horror of encountering one of these colonies, the evolutionary adaptation of fire ants to build such rafts for survival is quite incredible, and ingenious to say the very least. &l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\&q;attachment_705158014\&q; photocredit=\&q;\&q;  align=\&q;\&q; width=\&q;960\&q;]&l;img class=\&q;dam-image shutterstock wp-image-705158014 size-large\&q; src=\&q;http://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/705158014/960x0.jpg?fit=scale\&q; alt=\&q;\&q; data-height=\&q;640\&q; data-width=\&q;960\&q;&g; Fire ants can join together to form floating rafts after a flood (courtesy of Shutterstock)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;Fire ants are part of everyday life for anyone who lives along the Gulf Coast. It&s;s estimated that close to 40 million people live in areas infested with the red imported fire ant (RIFA) in the southeastern U.S., with approximately 60% of people living in these areas stung annually.&l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;While the bulk of fire ant species do not adversely impact us, the RIFA is a different story altogether.&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;In fact, data from the FDA indicates that more than $5 billion is spent yearly to contain damage of the RIFA, the bulk related to medical treatment and damage control in areas infested with the RIFA. And nearly $750 million a year is also attributed to loss of livestock, as well as overall agricultural losses from the RIFA.&l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;Rafts of floating ants may contain anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000 ants, and they can live for up to 12 days under simulated flood conditions in laboratory experiments.&l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;While there is no data so far on just how common the floating rafts of fire ants are, one entomologist believes some neighborhoods will likely see a fair number of these teeming flotillas. But fire ants are ubiquitous in the Southeast and&a;nbsp;can potentially show up anywhere.&l;/span&g;\r\n&l;!--nextpage--&g;\r\n&l;span&g;&a;ldquo;I would say for people wading or walking in streets and backyards anywhere in the southeastern flooded areas of Texas, it&a;rsquo;s a pretty important thing to look out for,&a;rdquo; said&a;nbsp;&l;/span&g;&l;span&g;Michael E. Merchant, PhD, BCE&l;/span&g;, p&l;span&g;rofessor and extension urban entomologist&a;nbsp;at&l;/span&g;&a;nbsp;&l;span&g;Texas A&a;amp;M AgriLife Extension Service. &l;/span&g;\r\n\r\nWhen their mounds flood, fires ants survive by riding air bubbles to the surface, joining feet with adjacent ants and simply floating. This special ability to float is due to &a;ldquo;special waterproof waxes on the fire ant&a;rsquo;s body, as well as the colony&a;rsquo;s ability to close ranks and form a waterproof pocket around the precious queen,&a;rdquo; Merchant said.\r\n\r\nA recent Twitter &l;a href=\&q;https://mobile.twitter.com/The_Reliant/status/902536760038711296\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;post &l;/a&g;from a rural area in Cuero, Texas, illustrates just how serious these insects can be. The brown &a;ldquo;scum&a;rdquo; in the river bend appears to be solid floating masses of fire ants.\r\n\r\n&l;strong&g;Breaking Up The Rafts&l;/strong&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;&a;ldquo;Two tablespoons of liquid dishwashing detergent (Dawn or Ivory) in a gallon of water is sufficient to sink and drown a fire ant mound,&a;rdquo; Merchant said, citing a study conducted several years ago by an&a;nbsp;Extension entomologist.&l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;In his &l;a href=\&q;http://citybugs.tamu.edu\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;blog&l;/a&g;&a;nbsp;Insects In The City, Merchant explains that the soap essentially breaks up the special coating on the body of the ants that allows them to float.&a;nbsp;&l;/span&g;\r\n&l;/p&g;&l;blockquote&g;[tweet_quote display=\&q;Soapy water may be the fire ant&a;rsquo;s Achilles&a;rsquo; tendon, however\&q;]Soapy water may be the fire ant&a;rsquo;s Achilles tendon, however[/tweet_quote] . [tweet_quote display=\&q;Research has shown that soapy water spritzed on a floating fire ant raft will sink and kill it\&q;]Research has shown that soapy water spritzed on a floating fire ant raft will sink and kill it[/tweet_quote] . The soap acts to break the hydrophobic coating on the fire ants&a;rsquo; bodies, causing them to drown. Plus, soap is mildly insecticidal against many insects.&l;/blockquote&g;\r\nWith &l;a href=\&q;https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/08/29/exxonmobil-refineries-damaged-in-hurricane-harvey-releasing-hazardous-pollutants/?utm_term=.9bdd378907a3&a;amp;wpisrc=nl_evening&a;amp;wpmm=1\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;an ExxonMobil refinery recently compromised&l;/a&g;, it&a;rsquo;s unclear whether the spilled oil may help inactivate the ants&a;rsquo; special coating. &a;ldquo;&l;span&g;No information about impact of spilled oil on fire ants is currently available, but in this setting, everything would depend on the concentrations of petroleum byproducts in water because I&a;rsquo;m sure that high levels of spilled oil would be lethal to just about any insect,&a;rdquo; Merchant said.&l;/span&g;\r\n&l;!--nextpage--&g;\r\n&l;span&g;As to whether fire and the use of flammable liquids might be useful, Merchant emphasized that &a;ldquo;we strongly advise against use of flammable liquids to control fire ant mounds.&a;nbsp;This is likely to produce soil or water pollution and is dangerous to the person applying it.&a;rdquo;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;Merchant also explains that &a;ldquo;homes have been burned down from people using gasoline to burn out fire ant mounds. Labeled insecticides are a much safer and more effective control method. We have very good treatments for fire ants, just no way to eradicate them.&a;rdquo;&l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n&l;strong&g;Treating a Fire Ant Sting&l;/strong&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;While most ants simply bite and spray an acid compound on the wound, [tweet_quote display=\&q;fire ants bite in order to get a grip on their prey, then sting by injecting a toxic alkaloid compound\&q;]fire ants bite in order to get a grip on their prey and then sting by injecting a toxic alkaloid compound[/tweet_quote]&a;nbsp; referred to as solenopsin, a member of the piperidine class. &l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;The sting is quite painful and makes you feel as though your skin is literally on fire, with the potential for anaphylaxis, a life-threatening type of allergic reaction in a minority of persons, which would require epinephrine.&l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;Most people develop painful red bumps on their skin, which, if scratched, can lead to pustules, a sign of infection&a;nbsp;that may require oral or topical antibiotics.&l;/span&g;\r\n\r\n&l;span&g;Typical first aid care varies&a;nbsp;and can include the application of aloe vera, as well as topical benzocaine and hydrocortisone, which may help to reduce the pain from the stings. The combination of oral antihistamines (diphenhydramine or loratadine) and topical steroids (hydrocortisone cream) often seems to work the best.&l;/span&g;&q;,&q;description&q;:&q;The floating mounds of fire ant colonies seen after the devastating floods have caught the eye of many people on social media. Avoiding the ants&s; painful stings is important for those who may encounter these flotillas. Disposing of them may be as simple as using liquid detergent.&q;,&q;image&q;:&q;http://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/705158014/960x0.jpg?fit=scale&q;,&q;type&q;:&q;blog&q;,&q;storyType&q;:&q;post&q;,&q;uri&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2017/08/31/the-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey/&q;,&q;comments&q;:[],&q;visible&q;:true,&q;authors&q;:[{&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/230867&q;,&q;name&q;:&q;Robert Glatter, MD&q;,&q;avatars&q;:[{&q;size&q;:400,&q;image&q;:&q;https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/50b69f85fb0051c20f5e0e12d3043308?s=400&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:136,&q;image&q;:&q;https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/50b69f85fb0051c20f5e0e12d3043308?s=136&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:62,&q;image&q;:&q;https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/50b69f85fb0051c20f5e0e12d3043308?s=62&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:40,&q;image&q;:&q;https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/50b69f85fb0051c20f5e0e12d3043308?s=40&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;}],&q;url&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/&q;,&q;type&q;:&q;Contributor&q;,&q;profileUrl&q;:&q;/sites/robertglatter/&q;,&q;twitterName&q;:&q;drrobertglatter&q;,&q;authorType&q;:&q;individual&q;,&q;email&q;:&q;rdglatter@gmail.com&q;,&q;blog&q;:false,&q;timestamp&q;:1489622211390,&q;shortBio&q;:&q;I cover breaking news in medicine, med tech and public health&q;,&q;webSite&q;:&q;http://www.DR911MD.com&q;,&q;topics&q;:[&q;lifestyle&q;,&q;tech&q;,&q;business&q;,&q;health&q;,&q;pharma-and-health&q;,&q;forbeslife-magazine&q;,&q;innovation-and-science&q;,&q;fact-and-comment&q;,&q;small-business-roundtable&q;,&q;oped&q;],&q;recentFlag&q;:false,&q;description&q;:&q;I am an emergency physician on staff at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, where I have practiced for the past 15 years.  I also serve as an adviser and editor to Medscape Emergency Medicine, an educational portal for physicians, and an affiliate of WebMD. My other time is spent with my private house call practice, DR 911, providing medical care to both travelers and residents in Manhattan. I have a keen interest in medical technology and public health education.&q;,&q;recentActivityCount&q;:0,&q;latestActivityDate&q;:1447713600000,&q;dailyActivityCount&q;:0,&q;primaryBlogNaturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/blog-2002&q;,&q;shortUri&q;:&q;http://onforb.es/SVfTVT&q;,&q;displayChannel&q;:&q;business&q;,&q;displaySection&q;:&q;pharma&q;,&q;contributorSince&q;:1328327055000,&q;slug&q;:&q;robertglatter&q;,&q;showNoVestPocket&q;:false,&q;embargo&q;:false,&q;primaryChannelId&q;:&q;channel_1&q;,&q;primarySectionId&q;:&q;section_4&q;,&q;enableContribContact&q;:true,&q;sigfile&q;:&q;&l;em&g;Follow me on &l;a href=\&q;https://twitter.com/DrRobertGlatter\&q;&g;Twitter&l;/a&g;&l;/em&g;&l;i&g; @DrRobertGlatter&l;/i&g;&q;,&q;enableTwitterFeed&q;:false,&q;disableCanonical&q;:false,&q;disableDigest&q;:false,&q;forbesTwitterProfile&q;:{&q;screenName&q;:&q;DrRobertGlatter&q;,&q;name&q;:&q;Dr. Robert Glatter&q;,&q;profileImageUrl&q;:&q;http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/3205354709/e86606d63be3687e090f032669e80d53.jpeg&q;,&q;description&q;:&q;ER Physician, Lenox Hill Hospital/Forbes/CBS News/Medscape EM Editor/Former NY Jets Sideline MD/DR 911(https://t.co/DdtPoE6r84) Physician for @nbcolympics @rio2016&q;,&q;createdDate&q;:1335443739000,&q;location&q;:&q;New York City&q;,&q;url&q;:&q;https://t.co/FKAKfy6Rz2&q;,&q;expandedUrl&q;:&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/&q;,&q;displayUrl&q;:&q;forbes.com/sites/robertgl…&q;,&q;verified&q;:false},&q;inactive&q;:true,&q;badges&q;:[],&q;primaryChannel&q;:{&q;id&q;:&q;channel_1&q;,&q;channelId&q;:&q;channel_1&q;,&q;channelName&q;:&q;Business&q;,&q;sectionId&q;:&q;section_4&q;,&q;sectionName&q;:&q;Pharma &a; Healthcare&q;,&q;url&q;:&q;/healthcare&q;,&q;shortName&q;:&q;Pharma &a; Healthcare&q;},&q;allowEmail&q;:false,&q;avatar_map&q;:{}},{&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/blog-2002&q;,&q;avatars&q;:[{&q;size&q;:0,&q;image&q;:&q;&q;},{&q;size&q;:0,&q;image&q;:&q;&q;},{&q;size&q;:0,&q;image&q;:&q;&q;},{&q;size&q;:0,&q;image&q;:&q;&q;}],&q;url&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/&q;,&q;profileUrl&q;:&q;https://blogs.forbes.com/robertglatter/profile/&q;,&q;authorType&q;:&q;individual&q;,&q;blog&q;:true,&q;timestamp&q;:1518448620626,&q;topics&q;:[&q;lifestyle&q;,&q;tech&q;,&q;business&q;,&q;leadership&q;,&q;health&q;,&q;pharma-and-health&q;,&q;technology&q;,&q;social-media&q;,&q;travel&q;,&q;human-ingenuity&q;,&q;entrepreneurs&q;,&q;innovation-and-science&q;,&q;media--entertainment&q;,&q;autos&q;,&q;wall-street&q;,&q;managing&q;,&q;politics&q;,&q;oped&q;,&q;corporate-responsibility&q;,&q;economics&q;,&q;forbes-travel-guide&q;,&q;drinks&q;,&q;forbeslife-magazine&q;,&q;strategies-solutions&q;,&q;sports--leisure&q;,&q;fact-and-comment&q;,&q;arts--entertainment&q;,&q;intelligent-tech&q;,&q;policy&q;,&q;logistics-transportation&q;,&q;data-driven&q;,&q;retail&q;,&q;small-business-roundtable&q;,&q;regulation&q;,&q;mobile&q;,&q;healthcare-innovation&q;,&q;powering-productivity&q;,&q;global-2000-leading-companies&q;,&q;talent-strategies&q;],&q;recentActivityCount&q;:2,&q;latestActivityDate&q;:1447713600000,&q;dailyActivityCount&q;:1,&q;primaryBlogNaturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/blog-2002&q;,&q;primaryContributor&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/230867&q;,&q;primaryContributorData&q;:{&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/230867&q;,&q;name&q;:&q;Robert Glatter, MD&q;,&q;avatars&q;:[{&q;size&q;:136,&q;image&q;:&q;https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/50b69f85fb0051c20f5e0e12d3043308?s=136&a;#038;d=mm&a;#038;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:400,&q;image&q;:&q;https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/50b69f85fb0051c20f5e0e12d3043308?s=400&a;#038;d=mm&a;#038;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:40,&q;image&q;:&q;https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/50b69f85fb0051c20f5e0e12d3043308?s=40&a;#038;d=mm&a;#038;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:62,&q;image&q;:&q;https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/50b69f85fb0051c20f5e0e12d3043308?s=62&a;#038;d=mm&a;#038;r=g&q;}],&q;blog&q;:false,&q;shortBio&q;:&q;I cover breaking news in medicine, med tech and public health&q;,&q;description&q;:&q;I am an emergency physician on staff at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, where I have practiced for the past 15 years.  I also serve as an adviser and editor to Medscape Emergency Medicine, an educational portal for physicians, and an affiliate of WebMD. My other time is spent with my private house call practice, DR 911, providing medical care to both travelers and residents in Manhattan. 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Avoiding the ants&s; painful stings is important for those who may encounter these flotillas. Disposing of them may be as simple as using liquid detergent.&q;,&q;primaryChannelId&q;:&q;channel_1&q;,&q;primarySectionId&q;:&q;section_4&q;,&q;vestPocketPosition&q;:6,&q;siteSlug&q;:&q;robertglatter&q;,&q;preview&q;:false,&q;showComments&q;:true,&q;timestamp&q;:1504203604802,&q;statsEntities&q;:[{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Disaster_Accident&q;,&q;type&q;:null,&q;relevance&q;:null},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Hexapoda&q;,&q;type&q;:null,&q;relevance&q;:null},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Hymenoptera&q;,&q;type&q;:null,&q;relevance&q;:null},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Myrmicinae&q;,&q;type&q;:null,&q;relevance&q;:null},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Pest insects&q;,&q;type&q;:null,&q;relevance&q;:null},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Scavengers&q;,&q;type&q;:null,&q;relevance&q;:null},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Fire ant&q;,&q;type&q;:null,&q;relevance&q;:null},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Red imported fire ant&q;,&q;type&q;:null,&q;relevance&q;:null},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Ant&q;,&q;type&q;:null,&q;relevance&q;:null},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Quotation mark&q;,&q;type&q;:null,&q;relevance&q;:null},{&q;id&q;:null,&q;name&q;:&q;Oil &a; 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hurricane harvey&q;],&q;writtenByForbesStaff&q;:false,&q;templateType&q;:&q;standard&q;,&q;enableSigfile&q;:true,&q;tweetQuotes&q;:[&q;&l;span class=\&q;tweet_quote\&q;&g; &l;a href=https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Frobertglatter%2F2017%2F08%2F31%2Fthe-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey%2F&a;text=Soapy%20water%20may%20be%20the%20fire%20ant%E2%80%99s%20Achilles%E2%80%99%20tendon%2C%20however target=\&q;_blank\&q; data-track=\&q;article-tweet-quote\&q;&g;Soapy water may be the fire ant&a;rsquo;s Achilles tendon, however&l;span&g;&l;/span&g;&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g;&q;,&q;&l;span class=\&q;tweet_quote\&q;&g; &l;a href=https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Frobertglatter%2F2017%2F08%2F31%2Fthe-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey%2F&a;text=Research%20has%20shown%20that%20soapy%20water%20spritzed%20on%20a%20floating%20fire%20ant%20raft%20will%20sink%20and%20kill%20it target=\&q;_blank\&q; data-track=\&q;article-tweet-quote\&q;&g;Research has shown that soapy water spritzed on a floating fire ant raft will sink and kill it&l;span&g;&l;/span&g;&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g;&q;],&q;primaryChannel&q;:{&q;id&q;:&q;channel_1&q;,&q;channelId&q;:&q;channel_1&q;,&q;channelName&q;:&q;Business&q;,&q;sectionId&q;:&q;section_4&q;,&q;sectionName&q;:&q;Pharma &a; Healthcare&q;,&q;url&q;:&q;/healthcare&q;,&q;shortName&q;:&q;Pharma &a; Healthcare&q;},&q;pages&q;:[&q;&l;p&g;By now, many have seen the stunning images of flotillas of fire ant colonies meandering along new rivers created by the massive floods throughout cities and towns affected by Hurricane Harvey.&l;/p&g; \n&l;div class=\&q;youtube-wrapper\&q;&g; \n &l;iframe class=\&q;youtube-player\&q; type=\&q;text/html\&q; width=\&q;100%\&q; height=\&q;365\&q; src=\&q;https://www.youtube.com/embed/i9gL4lYqv1c\&q; frameborder=\&q;0\&q;&g;&l;/iframe&g; \n&l;/div&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;What’s so striking about these images is that aside from the sheer horror of encountering one of these colonies, the evolutionary adaptation of fire ants to build such rafts for survival is quite incredible, and ingenious to say the very least. &l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;div id=\&q;attachment_705158014\&q; class=\&q;wp-caption alignnone\&q;&g; \n &l;div class=\&q;article-body-image\&q;&g; \n  &l;img class=\&q;dam-image shutterstock wp-image-705158014 size-large\&q; src=\&q;//specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/705158014/960x0.jpg?fit=scale\&q; alt=\&q;\&q; data-height=\&q;640\&q; data-width=\&q;960\&q; /&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n &l;div article-image-caption=\&q;\&q;&g; \n  &l;div class=\&q;caption-container\&q; ng-class=\&q;caption_state\&q;&g; \n   &l;fbs-accordion current=\&q;0\&q;&g; \n    &l;p class=\&q;wp-caption-text\&q;&g;Fire ants can join together to form floating rafts after a flood (courtesy of Shutterstock)&l;/p&g; \n   &l;/fbs-accordion&g; \n  &l;/div&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n&l;/div&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;Fire ants are part of everyday life for anyone who lives along the Gulf Coast. It&s;s estimated that close to 40 million people live in areas infested with the red imported fire ant (RIFA) in the southeastern U.S., with approximately 60% of people living in these areas stung annually.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g; \n &l;fbs-ad position=\&q;inread\&q; progressive=\&q;\&q;&g;&l;/fbs-ad&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;While the bulk of fire ant species do not adversely impact us, the RIFA is a different story altogether.&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;In fact, data from the FDA indicates that more than $5 billion is spent yearly to contain damage of the RIFA, the bulk related to medical treatment and damage control in areas infested with the RIFA. And nearly $750 million a year is also attributed to loss of livestock, as well as overall agricultural losses from the RIFA.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;Rafts of floating ants may contain anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000 ants, and they can live for up to 12 days under simulated flood conditions in laboratory experiments.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;While there is no data so far on just how common the floating rafts of fire ants are, one entomologist believes some neighborhoods will likely see a fair number of these teeming flotillas. But fire ants are ubiquitous in the Southeast and&a;nbsp;can potentially show up anywhere.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;div class=\&q;vestpocket\&q; vest-pocket=\&q;\&q;&g;&l;/div&g;&q;,&q;&l;p&g;&l;span&g;“I would say for people wading or walking in streets and backyards anywhere in the southeastern flooded areas of Texas, it’s a pretty important thing to look out for,” said&a;nbsp;&l;/span&g;&l;span&g;Michael E. Merchant, PhD, BCE&l;/span&g;, p&l;span&g;rofessor and extension urban entomologist&a;nbsp;at&l;/span&g;&a;nbsp;&l;span&g;Texas A&a;amp;M AgriLife Extension Service. &l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;When their mounds flood, fires ants survive by riding air bubbles to the surface, joining feet with adjacent ants and simply floating. This special ability to float is due to “special waterproof waxes on the fire ant’s body, as well as the colony’s ability to close ranks and form a waterproof pocket around the precious queen,” Merchant said.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;A recent Twitter &l;a href=\&q;https://mobile.twitter.com/The_Reliant/status/902536760038711296\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;post &l;/a&g;from a rural area in Cuero, Texas, illustrates just how serious these insects can be. The brown “scum” in the river bend appears to be solid floating masses of fire ants.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;strong&g;Breaking Up The Rafts&l;/strong&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;“Two tablespoons of liquid dishwashing detergent (Dawn or Ivory) in a gallon of water is sufficient to sink and drown a fire ant mound,” Merchant said, citing a study conducted several years ago by an&a;nbsp;Extension entomologist.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g; \n &l;fbs-ad position=\&q;inread\&q; progressive=\&q;\&q;&g;&l;/fbs-ad&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;In his &l;a href=\&q;http://citybugs.tamu.edu\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;blog&l;/a&g;&a;nbsp;Insects In The City, Merchant explains that the soap essentially breaks up the special coating on the body of the ants that allows them to float.&a;nbsp;&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;blockquote&g; \n &l;p&g;&l;span class=\&q;tweet_quote\&q;&g; &l;a href=\&q;https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Frobertglatter%2F2017%2F08%2F31%2Fthe-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey%2F&a;amp;text=Soapy%20water%20may%20be%20the%20fire%20ant%E2%80%99s%20Achilles%E2%80%99%20tendon%2C%20however\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;Soapy water may be the fire ant’s Achilles tendon, however&l;span&g;&l;/span&g;&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g; . &l;span class=\&q;tweet_quote\&q;&g; &l;a href=\&q;https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Frobertglatter%2F2017%2F08%2F31%2Fthe-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey%2F&a;amp;text=Research%20has%20shown%20that%20soapy%20water%20spritzed%20on%20a%20floating%20fire%20ant%20raft%20will%20sink%20and%20kill%20it\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;Research has shown that soapy water spritzed on a floating fire ant raft will sink and kill it&l;span&g;&l;/span&g;&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g; . The soap acts to break the hydrophobic coating on the fire ants’ bodies, causing them to drown. Plus, soap is mildly insecticidal against many insects.&l;/p&g; \n&l;/blockquote&g; \n&l;div class=\&q;vestpocket\&q; vest-pocket=\&q;\&q;&g;&l;/div&g; \n&l;p&g;With &l;a href=\&q;https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/08/29/exxonmobil-refineries-damaged-in-hurricane-harvey-releasing-hazardous-pollutants/?utm_term=.9bdd378907a3&a;amp;wpisrc=nl_evening&a;amp;wpmm=1\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;an ExxonMobil refinery recently compromised&l;/a&g;, it’s unclear whether the spilled oil may help inactivate the ants’ special coating. “&l;span&g;No information about impact of spilled oil on fire ants is currently available, but in this setting, everything would depend on the concentrations of petroleum byproducts in water because I’m sure that high levels of spilled oil would be lethal to just about any insect,” Merchant said.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g;&q;,&q;&l;p&g;&l;span&g;As to whether fire and the use of flammable liquids might be useful, Merchant emphasized that “we strongly advise against use of flammable liquids to control fire ant mounds.&a;nbsp;This is likely to produce soil or water pollution and is dangerous to the person applying it.”&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;Merchant also explains that “homes have been burned down from people using gasoline to burn out fire ant mounds. Labeled insecticides are a much safer and more effective control method. We have very good treatments for fire ants, just no way to eradicate them.”&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;strong&g;Treating a Fire Ant Sting&l;/strong&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;While most ants simply bite and spray an acid compound on the wound, &l;span class=\&q;tweet_quote\&q;&g; &l;a href=\&q;https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Frobertglatter%2F2017%2F08%2F31%2Fthe-solution-to-combat-rafts-of-floating-fire-ants-after-hurricane-harvey%2F&a;amp;text=fire%20ants%20bite%20in%20order%20to%20get%20a%20grip%20on%20their%20prey%2C%20then%20sting%20by%20injecting%20a%20toxic%20alkaloid%20compound\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;fire ants bite in order to get a grip on their prey and then sting by injecting a toxic alkaloid compound&l;span&g;&l;/span&g;&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g;&a;nbsp; referred to as solenopsin, a member of the piperidine class. &l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;The sting is quite painful and makes you feel as though your skin is literally on fire, with the potential for anaphylaxis, a life-threatening type of allergic reaction in a minority of persons, which would require epinephrine.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g; \n &l;fbs-ad position=\&q;inread\&q; progressive=\&q;\&q;&g;&l;/fbs-ad&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;Most people develop painful red bumps on their skin, which, if scratched, can lead to pustules, a sign of infection&a;nbsp;that may require oral or topical antibiotics.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;span&g;Typical first aid care varies&a;nbsp;and can include the application of aloe vera, as well as topical benzocaine and hydrocortisone, which may help to reduce the pain from the stings. 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