Caribbean Crazy Ants
Paratrechina pubens
Appearance:
Caribbean Crazy ants are golden-brown to reddish-brown in color, and are covered with dense hairs. After feeding, their abdomen will appear to be striped due to the stretching of the light colored membrane that connects the segments of the abdomen.
Size:
Range from 1/16-inch to 1/8-inch in length.
Behavior:
The Caribbean Crazy ant will scavenge for a wide variety of solid and liquid foods, such as seeds, fruits, garbage, honeydew, and practically any household food. They are also predatory and will attack other insects. They get their name partly from their erratic and rapid movement. Caribbean Crazy ants will forage much more erratically than other ants and form much looser trails.
Habitat:
In the last few years, most of the reports of Caribbean Crazy ant infestations have come from pest control operators in and around South Florida. Trails consisting of thousands of Caribbean Crazy ants have been observed along sidewalks, buildings, and gardens.
Unique Characteristics:
Reports of this ant in Florida date back to the mid 1950s, but infestations were uncommon until the late 1990s. However, Caribbean Crazy ants have become a severe problem in South Florida recently. They can be very difficult to control because of their extremely large numbers.
Control:
Do you live in Florida and think that this ant may be invading your home? Hulett Environmental Services offers specialty treatments designed to control and eliminate this pest!