VEN (DALLAS) — Texas entrepreneurs have been creating fire ant art for years by pouring molten aluminum into (allegedly) abandoned fire ant colonies, allowing the aluminum to cool, and then digging out the structure and washing it off to reveal a perfect cast of the colony.

The unique castings once cleaned and mounted sell for several hundreds of dollars.

But not so fast says ACLU attorney Chad Pantzman.

Mr Pantzman — in conjunction with PETA and the ASPCA —  has filed a class-action law suit on behalf of the American fire ant claiming depraved indifference, willful destruction of property, animal cruelty, and illegal use and transport of molten aluminum by non-licensed personnel in commission of a crime.

“The native fire ant is not a pest.  The Solenopsis invicta from South America or RIFA is the bad guy.  But these “artists” don’t make that distinction.  I am speaking up for the forgotten American fire ant when no one else will!”

Mr Pantzman is seeking damages of $25,000,000.00, the seizure and destruction of what he alledges are illegal castings,  and complete restitution of the destroyed colonies.

Developing ….