The Sound of Tiny Marching Feet

Ants.

Yes, ants, ladies and gentlemen.

There have been many science fiction films regarding ants menacing human beings and human society - movies like Them! (starring James Whitmore and a bona fide classic), Empire of the Ants and Phase IV.

But now reality imitates art:

Ants Swarm in Houston Area, Fouling Electronics

These little critters have come to our shores like so many immigrants, by - what else? - sea, and are apparently something new. On the upside, they eat Argentine fire ants; on the downside, they bite people, eat beneficial things, and - bad news drum roll here - they foul computers and electrical boxes.

Scientists don't know why ants seem to be attracted to electronics. It might be the electromagnetic impulses, or the fact that it's a warm, safe environment. Or maybe it's all part of a vast plot by a myrmidine global conspiracy to destroy our cyberinfrastructure!

It's Ant Terrorism! These new ants are sort of hairy, which means that they could be tiny bears; Steven Colbert has warned us about bears, after all.