What Are Crazy Ants, And How You Can Prevent Them?

If you haven’t heard of crazy ants and you live in Texas, then some might think that you’re the crazy one! These pests have spread all over the state in recent years and ant control can be a serious problem. Thankfully, we have some expert insight and preventative measures for you to avoid these creatures.

Crazy ants have a variety of names, such as: “crazy ants”, “tawny crazy ants”, “raspberry crazy ants” and “hairy crazy ants”. Whatever way you slice and dice it, one thing is certain: this species is wildly invasive. Crazy ants are called just that because of their frantic and erratic movement. In addition, their odd affection towards electrical equipment is insane. Because crazy ants prefer finding tight, secure places to create a nest rather than building one themselves, electronic devices and machines are common spots they choose to populate. Due to the sheer volume of their colonies, they cause electronics to malfunction or not turn on. In fact, each year, crazy ants cause an average of 146 million dollars in electrical damage…yes, we said million! Crazy ants have a variety of identifiable-characteristics, which include:

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A reddish-brown color.

Rapid, chaotic movement.

Their small size, about 1/8-inch in length.

The tiny hairs scattered around their bodies.

The absence of a stinger, although crazy ants can bite and deposit venom.

In addition to the habits and characteristics of crazy ants, their dietary choices are also unique! Crazy ants eat a lot of common things, like protein, animal matter and other insects. They also love to indulge in sweets, but don’t we all?

Where They Lurk

Crazy Ants are known to infiltrate homes and businesses and, due to their small size, they can easily crawl through cracks in the foundation, siding or windows to enter a building. Another way that crazy ants can get in is by clinging onto old flowers or discarded equipment, so be sure to think twice before repotting those dying plants for your desk or trying to revive that old monitor for the conference room.

Preventing Crazy Ants From Taking Over Your Business

If you’re serious about learning the best ways to keep these ants from invading your business, then here are a few, vital tips to keep in mind:

Remove any tree limbs or piles of leaves from the property. Crazy ants commonly create their nests in tree limbs and leaves, so trimming overhanging branches from surrounding areas will help prevent crazy ants from nesting close to your building.

If possible, eliminate unnecessary water sources. Removing additional water sources that aren’t being used can help deter crazy ants and other destructive ants from setting up camp.

Seal cracks in siding. Sealing cracks in a building’s siding reduces the chance that crazy ants (and many other insects) can enter your structure.

Keep indoor surfaces clean. Keeping things clean is a good rule of thumb for any business, but maintaining proper cleanliness is also important when it comes to preventing crazy ants because it limits places for them to eat or seek shelter.

Put food in air-tight containers. Making sure that food is stored properly can dramatically decrease your structure’s attractiveness for crazy ants. If crazy ants don’t have access to food, then they don’t have a reason to be in that area anymore.

What If I Can’t Get Rid Of Them?

Even with these steps, controlling crazy ants is incredibly difficult. Your best bet is to work with a professional like Holder’s to help remedy the problem. Give us a call to get started!