The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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June 30, 2009

Mites cause oil slick on highway

By Cass Rains, Staff Writer

A swarm of mites that feed off canola plants was to blame for creating hazardous road conditions Monday night at Oklahoma 132 and Wood Road.

Garfield County Sher-iff’s Deputy Troy Bush said millions of the mites had swarmed at the intersection, causing a slick and hazardous spot a quarter-mile long.

“The ground was moving,” Bush said. “It reminded me of special effects in a movie.”

Bush responded to a report after 8 p.m. last night of an accident caused by “millions of ants crossing the road” at the intersection. Bush said an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper also responded after Troop J received calls about the bugs, too.

“Basically, everyone thought it was a joke,” Bush said.

Drummond Fire Depart-ment was contacted to hose down the road, but after that more calls were received about the “ants.” When Drummond firefighters ar-rived, they believed there had been a chemical spill because of a slight residue on the road.

Upon closer inspection, the bugs were determined to be mites that commonly feed on canola plants and a field of canola at the intersection had been harvested that day.

Bush said the farmer said he knew of the mites, but had never seen anything like it in his life.

“They covered the entire road for at least a quarter of a mile,” Bush said of the mites.

Oklahoma Department of Transportation was called to the area and lightly sanded the slick portion of the road for the safety of drivers.

The slick spot was caused by the mites consuming the canola plants, which are used to produce canola oil.

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