Pest Library
Tawny Crazy Ant
Tawny crazy ants are small reddish-brown ants recognized less by appearance than by movement: they run fast in erratic, wandering paths rather than neat trails, and they appear in overwhelming numbers. They build no mounds, nesting instead under anything on the ground and inside voids and electrical equipment.
Profile
- Scientific name
- Nylanderia fulva
- Identification
- Uniform reddish-brown, densely hairy body, one waist node, erratic rapid movement, no sting.
- Typical size
- About 1/8 inch (2.6-3 mm).
- Behavior
- Enormous multi-queen populations that displace other ants, including fire ants. They accumulate in and short out electrical equipment.
- Habitat
- Under landscape timbers, rocks, mulch, debris, potted plants, wall voids and utility boxes.
- Diet
- Honeydew, sweets, insects and protein.
- Lifecycle
- Colonies expand by budding; numbers build through the warm season.
- Why it matters
- Extreme nuisance pressure and equipment problems. They do not sting, but numbers make outdoor space unusable.
- DIY considerations
- Retail products give short-lived relief at best. Populations rebound quickly from surrounding property.
- Professional considerations
- Suppression is realistic; eradication generally is not. Expect recurring exterior service through the warm season.
Signs of activity
- Dense masses of fast, erratic ants along foundations and pavement
- Piles of dead ants accumulating near treated areas
- Ants inside electrical boxes, AC units and irrigation controllers
- Other ant species disappearing from the property
Prevention
- Remove ground debris, stacked material and unnecessary landscape objects
- Manage honeydew-producing insects on plants
- Keep mulch thin and dry near the structure
- Seal utility and equipment enclosures where practical
Sources
Related information
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