CRAZY ANTS
The crazy ant gets its name from its extremely erratic behavior and lack of boundaries. Another trait is their ability to be highly adaptive to any latitude or climate. High or low, cold or warm, they can withstand it all and they search far from home for food.
What do crazy ants look like?
Only about 1/8 of an inch long, these ants can be reddish brown to black in color. Their legs are absurdly long, which explains how they move around so quickly!
Where do they live and what do they eat?
Crazy ants create nests in trash, under debris, in cavities in plants and trees, rotten wood, in soil under objects. However, this is not where you will find them unless you follow the food trail because these ants forage away from the nest. You are likely to catch them outside of outdoor food services (food stands, food trucks, and sidewalk cafes), convenience stores and gas stations where people drop food crumbs frequently. Workers are omnivorous (eat plants and animals) and will eat fruits, seeds, plant exudates, honeydew, insects (dead or alive) and many household foods.
Are crazy ants dangerous?
The crazy ant is venomous and while it lacks a stinger over the hair covered hole containing the venom, it will certainly bite an enemy and curl its abdomen to insert the venom. This is not harmful to humans, but it can certainly drive livestock and other animals, well –crazy! If a human is bitten by a crazy ant, it will be an irritation for a minute or so and then fade away. The dangers this ant poses is to livestock, grasslands and electrical equipment, as they can kill large animals not by venom but by the large numbers of ants and the fact that they will attack these things as a group. The threat to humans is an ant infestation in the home, which means millions of ants parading around your home in search of food.