Ants, especially invasive fire ants, can be a threat to health of your family. When trying to get rid of them, some might turn to poison, traps, or any other conventional means, an artist from Anthill Arts decided to do something a little different – he poured molten aluminum through the colony’s anthill.
In a video, Anthill Arts shows what happens to the anthill when the aluminum is poured inside.
At the beginning, the video shows the molten aluminum being slowly poured into the top of the anthill. Immediately, the ants on the surface react and smoke starts to rise from the top. As it fills, the dirt the mound is created from rises a little and then collapses, releasing smoke from the surface. This introduction of metal eliminates any threat from ants, making it safe to remove once the aluminum has cooled.
After a proper amount of waiting time, the metal is extracted from the ground. The Anthill Arts team has one person use their hand and a small shovel move the dirt from around the metal piece. Once revealed, the artist picks up the new piece and lifts it out. The remaining dirt is washed off with a water hose.
What’s left behind is a 17.9 pound, 18 inches tall piece showing the tunnels the ants built and once called home.