Tawny Crazy Ants
Active Seasons
Appearance and Size Facts
- Tawny Crazy ants are golden-brown to reddish-brown in color and are covered with dense hairs
- After feeding, their abdomen appears to be striped due to the stretching of the light colored membrane that connects the segments of the abdomen
- Also identified by their very long legs and long antennae
- Size: Range from 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch in length
- Trails can consist of thousands of Tawny Crazy ants at a time
Behavior and Habitat of Tawny Crazy Ants
The Tawny 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. Although they are called crazy ants, Tawny Crazy ants actually follow very tight trails, which can be deceiving at first. Tawny Crazy ants have rather large trails up to 3 or 4 inches in width and are very fast moving ants, sometimes making it look as if the landscape is moving back and forth. In the last few years, most of the reports of Tawny Crazy ant infestations have come from pest control operators in and around South Florida. Trails consisting of thousands of Tawny Crazy ants have been observed along sidewalks, buildings, and gardens.
Signs of Infestation of Tawny Crazy Ants
These exotic and invasive ants are attracted to electrical currents and will infest electrical equipment, computers, TV's, transformers, etc.
Tips for Prevention of Tawny Crazy Ants
Keep food items secured and pet food off of the floors. Keep bushes and shrubs trimmed 2 foot from the home. Caulk any visible cracks around windows and doors.
Tawny Crazy Ant Gallery
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