Oct 28, 2013 02:52 PM EDT
Crazy Ants Are Capable of Killing Other Insects and Starving Out Entire Colonies (VIDEO)

Rasberry crazy ants are invading homes in the U.S. and they're expected to affect rural locations by the trillions.

The ants were originally discovered in Texas back in 2002, and there have been a number of sightings since than in at least four other states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida.

"If you go to a rural area they've taken over, it's silent. What you hear is nothing, no grasshoppers, no birds, nothing but the wind going through the leaves," said Tom Rasberry, exterminator who discovered that first colony in 2002.

The ants multiple quickly, and like to live in warm, tight spaces near electrical equipment and in car engines.

There is some good news however, as that the ants don't sting or bite like fire ants, which have been around since the 1970s.

"It's literally a huge problem," said Joe Stuckey, a Houston environmental attorney, according to Reuters.

Stuckey uses chemicals to kill the ants that invade and swam his 40-acre home. Once they're killed he scoops them all up with a shovel and unleashes the chemicals again to try preventing them from coming back.

He's one of the many residents in the U.S. to allow researchers to use their properties in order to learn more about the ants.

The ants have been found in the mall area of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, though they have not done "any significant damage," said NASA Houston Facilities Management and Operations Chief Shelia Powell in a statement.

"We are principally concerned about the possible damage to infrastructure such as electronics, employees' automobiles, and our facilities," Powell said.

Traditional extermination chemicals don't seem to kill the ants, causing more problems for homeowners and exterminators who don't know what to do.

"You can spray and it will kill tens of thousands, but they come back," said Stuckey. "If you took a restaurant-sized pepper jug and poured it on the floor, that's how thick they are."

Related Articles:

Audi Recall: 3,594 S6 And S7 Vehicles Called Back Over Fire Concerns

Electric Car Pact: Eight States Pledge to Get 3.3 Million Zero-Emission Vehicles on The Road by 2025

Sun Emits Third Solar Flare in 2 Days (PHOTOS)

Cassini Captures New Image of Saturn's Faintest Rings (PHOTO)

Mitsubishi Recall: 10,000 Lancer Evolution Vehicles Called Back Over Clutch Issues

See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?

 PREVIOUS POST
NEXT POST 

EDITOR'S PICK    

Hyundai to Invest $16.1 Billion for EV Business; Sets Annual Sales Goal of 1.87M Electric Cars by 2030

World's Most Expensive and Most Heavily-optioned Porsche 928 GTS is Coming Home to the U.S.

Major Boost as Tesla Giga Berlin Facility in Final Phase of Approval Process; Delivery Event Set This Month

Audi Looking for e-tron Electric Vehicles to Spur Car Brand's Growth in India in 2022

Toyota Offers Free EV Charging to Owners of 2023 bZ4X After Partnership Agreement with EVgo

2022 Suzuki Baleno Finally Unveiled in India: What are the Specs and Features of this City Car?