Hero999

The reason why I don't believe this is because I can't see why they would eat electrical appliances when there are far more nutritious food sources available.

Just think about it for a second, take your PC, what components inside it would make a good food source for any organism?

Maybe a rat could chew the cables or make a nest inside the case or some mold could grow on the dust and cobwebs but I can't think of anything else.

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HarveyH42

I don't remember that the article specifically indicated consumption. Do remember 'damaging' and 'destroying'. Fire Ants have done damage to air conditioners and well pumps, but not very common. Maybe they just get confused around electronic signals and attack. Perhaps the metal or fiber board makes really good building material for their nest...

jpanhalt

It is a mistake to underestimate biological diversity. There are organisms that live and thrive in hot sulfur springs. A species of Pseudomonas grows well in jet fuel. So well, that in order to prevent clogging of the filters and injectors from the slim it produces, antimicrobials have to be added to the fuel.

Why do birds build nests in jet engines? HarveyH42 is probably right about the why and how. My suspicion is that the ants simply are looking for places to colonize, and maybe the ants can utilize the dust collections, organic compounds, conformal coatings, etc. to some extent.

Maybe electronics are free of predators? So, an ant that can survive on minimal nutrition in a computer is better off than one in your garden that has to worry about being eaten by a mole. Maybe the best defense is to put a pet mole inside your electronic equipment. John