Tropical Storm Harvey is no match for the determined ferocity of fire ants.

Though the hurricane-turned-tropical-storm caused devastating destruction and unprecedented flooding in the city of Houston, the intense flood waters have only brought the ants closer together.

In the wake of the flooding, as fire ants usually do, they banned together to form floating colonies to stay alive.

Pro tip: Don't touch the floating fire ant colonies. They will ruin your day. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/uwJd0rA7qB — Mike Hixenbaugh (@Mike_Hixenbaugh) August 27, 2017

In a July study, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology found fire ants link their bodies with one another to ensure colonies stick together — an action made possible thanks to the sticky pads underneath their feet.

When faced with obstacles such as water, the fire ants — sometimes thousands of them — kick into survival mode by forming rafts or other convenient structures. The finished product resembles a pile of dirt or wood chips, but upon closer inspection, the moving ants are visible.

A 2011 study from the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that a group of fire ants can sustain buoyancy in water from days to weeks, assembling the raft in as few as 100 seconds. Both utterly brilliant and completely terrifying.

And look, guys. The ants are now just feet from house. pic.twitter.com/rt2aU7Uvm3 — Mike Hixenbaugh (@Mike_Hixenbaugh) August 28, 2017

Fire ants form a protective island as they float out the #Houston flood pic.twitter.com/UBORwAzA4R — Omar Villafranca (@OmarVillafranca) August 27, 2017

To some, the ant rafts spotted in the Houston flooding were the stuff of nightmares. Others found hope in the fire ants' strength and togetherness.

That's a floating mass of fire ants and it made my hair stand on end. #houston #harvey https://t.co/75inwXo7Nu pic.twitter.com/O3RUVbox0J — Peter Bonilla (@pebonilla) August 28, 2017

I'd swim like Ryan Lochte away from this fucking thing. https://t.co/6KvLK7CKxq — Eliza Bleak (@ElizaBleak) August 28, 2017

It looks like dirt, but it's ACTUALLY FUCKING ANTS. GODDAMN HARVEY COULDN'T YOU AT LEAST KILL THE FUCKING FIRE ANTS? #HurricaneHarvey pic.twitter.com/3zQMTtq9f3 — Robert Junior Jr. (@RobertJuniorJr) August 28, 2017

Fire ants are the dystopian bastards of the insect world. And of course they don't drown. Because dystopian. https://t.co/SFq7PpL9fJ — S. R. Karfelt (@SRKarfelt) August 28, 2017

Indeed! But you have to admit ant are pretty incredible colony dwellers. They even make there own rafts! https://t.co/s4P0e2lKZm — CindiLewis (@CindiLewis9) August 28, 2017

Meanwhile, in Cuero, the river has brought my aunt all of the fire ants. Yes, those are all (of the) fire ants. pic.twitter.com/dEibWYxAdl — Bill O'Zimmermann (@The_Reliant) August 29, 2017

Either way, you've gotta give the ants props for this impressive effort.