When people say their laptop has a bug, they usually mean a software error causing problems. But in this case, one man’s laptop literally had an insect invasion.
Sharing his discovery on TikTok (@flamingpuddle), the video, which was posted late last month, has garnered an impressive 16.7 million views. The footage shows what he described as a “whole ant colony” crawling out of his Apple MacBook.
Initially, he tried an unconventional approach to evict the ants—by blasting Taylor Swift songs from her 2017 Reputation album. Unfortunately, his musical efforts didn’t work, and he later updated his followers to share that he had to get a new laptop.
One TikTok user jokingly wrote: “Play The Sims for 10 minutes.” That comment garnered 524,500 likes.
Another user quipped, “WHY ARE THEY HELPING EACH OTHER GET OUT LIKE IT’S A HOUSE FIRE.” That comment earned more than 195,000 likes.
@flamingpuddle revealed in a reply comment: “Every key I press there’s a crunch, and they run out. I’m done.”
In follow-up videos, he showed how he initially took his laptop to a computer shop to deal with the ants. The device was dismantled, and even more ants were discovered inside. However, the infestation was beyond salvaging, leaving him no choice but to replace the laptop.
Adding to his bad luck, @flamingpuddle man shared CCTV footage of a courier delivering his new laptop—only to have it stolen from his steps.
Fortunately, TikTok users rallied to support him. In a subsequent post, he shared his gratitude and showcased a new laptop,
The video’s text overlay reads: “Never would I imagine the TikTok community would come together to make sure I had a new computer for school after the ants took over.”
Newsweek reached out to @flamingpuddle for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
Tomasz Majchrowicz/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Ants and Electronics: A Not-So-Rare Occurrence
While this story might sound unusual, ants infesting electronic devices is a documented phenomenon.
Live Science reported in 2013 that certain ant species are attracted to the warmth and electromagnetic fields that electronics emit. For instance, the “crazy ant” (Nylanderia fulva) is known for nesting in electronic devices, sometimes causing short circuits and equipment failures.
Crazy ants are constantly searching for cavities to nest in, as they don’t typically excavate their own tunnels or holes, aside from minimal expansion, explained Edward LeBrun, a researcher at the University of Texas.
This behavior is why they often invade people’s homes, finding refuge in protected spaces like the insides of walls, basements, and crawlspaces. Their tiny size—less than an eighth of an inch long—allows them to infiltrate electronics such as cellphones, computers, and appliances, which offer the kind of protected cavities that are “just great” for these ants, LeBrun said.
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