Crazy Ants

Home Ant Control

 

Color: Usually reddish brown.

Characteristics: Have tiny hairs on their bodies.  Known for their erratic behavior when foraging, these pests look like they’re running all over.

Size: Approximately 1/8 of an inch long.

Potentially Dangerous: No

Bites & Stings

Landscape Damaging

Structure Damaging

Difficult to Eradicate

What Do Crazy Ants Look Like?

Crazy ants are typically reddish brown in color and are approximately 1/8 of an inch in length.

Why Do I Have A Crazy Ant Problem?

Officially called “Rasberry Crazy Ants” named after the exterminator that first noticed them, but also referred to as crazy ants or tawny ants, these insects can be found nesting outdoors in Texas and in coastal areas from Texas to Florida.

Crazy ants were first found in Houston in 2002 and are slowly spreading throughout Texas and other states.  They are often transported unknowingly by people. Crazy ants will typically build their nests outdoors and will travel into homes and buildings foraging for food. However, they have been known to build their nests inside walls and even inside electrical equipment like air conditioning units.

Where Do Crazy Ants Nest?

Crazy ants will nest in both dry and moist areas; outside they can be found nesting in the soil, in tree cavities, under rocks, under rotten wood, and under buildings. Crazy ants don’t like and can’t survive in cold weather; they will move inside from the outside to infest homes and other structures when the weather becomes too cool for them.

What Kind Of Threat Do Crazy Ants Pose?

Crazy ants are known for their ability to take over your yard and your home quickly. Their populations are enormous and they even drive out other types of ants and animal populations. They are known to bite, but their bite is considered less painful than that of fire ants, for example. They are a problem when they enter your home in large numbers or when they build their nests inside your home or inside electrical equipment, which can then cause the equipment to malfunction.

What Are The Signs Of A Crazy Ant Infestation?

Crazy ants are named so because of the erratic, jerky way that they move. Other ant species will move in a straight line as they work together searching for and gathering food, crazy ants do not, they move in more of a frantic zigzag pattern. The unique “crazy” way that they travel is the best indicator of your home being infested by crazy ants.

How Do I Control Crazy Ants?

Controlling crazy ants on your own is difficult as these insects are known to avoid many different kinds of ant baits. Typical ant control treatment options don’t work on crazy ants, so it is imperative to contact a pest control professional for control of a crazy ant infestation. At Holder’s, our pest control specialists been dealing with crazy ant infestations since they were first introduced into the area in 2002 and we have the tools necessary to help you get rid of crazy ants in your home or facility.

How Do You Prevent Crazy Ants?

Preventing crazy ants can be difficult because they frequently nest both indoors and outdoors, the best way to prevent crazy ants is with the help of a year-round pest control program. Other ways to prevent crazy ants include:

• Sealing cracks and crevice found in your home’s foundation.
• Caulking gaps found around your windows and doors.
• Trimming back trees, bushes, and other landscaping from your home.
• Removing piles of debris like fallen leaves or fallen limbs from your yard, and removing dead trees from your property.
• Making sure to keep tight fitting lids on outdoor trash cans and storing them a distance away from the outside of your home.

Our professionals can help identify entry points and remove crazy ants from your property.