New viral videos spring up all the time, but one involving fire ants has really managed to capture people’s imaginations. Instead of showing the pests swarming around a field or invading someone’s home, the video shows an artist pouring molten aluminum into an anthill to create an incredible sculpture of sorts. It’s called anthill art, and it’s creating a lot of buzz. Some folks are enthralled by the gorgeous sculptures, which look a lot like metal Christmas trees, while others are upset that entire fire ant colonies are destroyed in the process (even though fire ants are technically an invasive species). No matter how you feel about the subject, there’s no denying the awesome artistic results.
What’s Under There?
Have you ever seen an anthill and wondered what lies below the surface? There are obviously tunnels and chambers where the ants carry on their day-to-day business, but what do they really look like? There’s no easy way to find out. It’s not like you can dig down to check them out for yourself; doing so would cause all of the tunnels and chambers to cave in. That’s where molten aluminum comes into play. The substance is delicate enough to fill the tunnels and chambers without destroying them; it does kill all the ants, though.
Don’t Try This at Home
As you can see from the video, the molten aluminum is very, very hot. It could cause serious injuries if it made contact with any part of the body. With that in mind, don’t attempt to do this yourself. This is best left to the professionals. The pros also know how long to allow the aluminum to set. It needs to be given time to harden sufficiently, or all of the work will be in vain.
Dig Up a Treasure
After the molten aluminum has been given enough time to harden, it can be safely and effectively dug out of the ground. The aluminum gets very hard, so it comes out in a single mass. At first glance, it doesn’t look like much. After it’s blasted with water, though, the intricate tunnels and pathways are revealed. The artist who creates this anthill art has been selling his work, but limited quantities are available.
If you have a fire ant problem and live in the Austin area, you may be tempted to try something like this, but there are much more effective options. ABC Home & Commercial Services in Austin is the local expert when it comes to pest control and fire ants. If you’ve been experiencing an infestation, give us a call or request a free estimate through our website.