Flooded Fire Ants

Noticed what appeared to be some brownish weeds in the grass in the middle of a flooded low point in my back yard after several days of rain.

I took a closer look and  . . . 

Fire Ants!

This is one of the many reasons flood waters can be so dangerous.  All the worker ants, the queen, and the brood (eggs, larvae, pupae) escaping to the 'high rise" grass blades above the water.

They can float across the water en masse by locking mandibles like a chain.  The ones below the water can survive off of pockets of air until they reach ground or something floating--In this case the grass blades.