Fire ants band together to form a raft to keep above water in a Louisiana flood. Screenshot: @bbawalt/Instagram

BATON ROUGE, La., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A Louisiana man captured footage of millions of ants banding together to form a "raft" in Baton Rouge floodwaters.

Walter L. Mattire posted a video to Instagram during the weekend showing the "raft" composed of millions of ants banding together to stay above water in his flooded yard.


"It's real survival... pray my people," Mattire wrote.

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology said in a 2013 study that fire ants use their jaws, small claws and adhesive pads on their legs to form into floating structures.

The researchers said the "ant rafts" are strong enough to withstand waves and are able to break apart and re-link in different formations.