http://www.slate.com/id/2191749/





"Electronic devices near Houston, Texas, are under attack by a species known as the "crazy rasberry ant" (Paratrechina species near pubens), which is thought to have arrived as a stowaway on a cargo ship in 2002. According to the Associated Press, the ants seem to be attracted to electrical equipment and have been "shorting out electrical boxes and messing up computers" wherever they go. This has raised concerns that the ants might cause serious damage to electrical equipment in sensitive locations like Houston's Hobby Airport and NASA's Johnson Space Center, as well as homes and businesses in the city. What do ants like about electronics?

No one really knows. Research has shown that some ant species are capable of detecting electromagnetic fields and may even use the Earth's magnetic field as a directional cue as they search for food or nest sites. Their attraction to man-made electrical devices may be an accidental evolutionary byproduct of this natural ability.

The ants may also be drawn to pieces of electrical equipment because they make great nests. Invasive species like the crazy rasberry ant are adapted to environments that are constantly changing, so they are always searching for new homes. In the wild, these ants might nest in small cavities beneath fallen leaves, inside branches, or at the base of palm fronds. Electrical switch boxes, gas meters, or your PC make ideal homes because they are dry and have small, easily defendable entrances. "

yikes, thats new to me
ive found spiders, mice nests, and behives in the computers ive worked on-but never any ants.
hopefully they dont sting and swarm like fireants.

heres a link with a cool picture of the "crazy raspberry ant" (the name cracks me up )

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...l%3Den%26sa%3DN

This adds new meaning to your computer having a bug

quite a hungry bug

Good thing we don't have those here... or at least, in my house.