Getting rid of the Crazy Ant

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Paratrechina longicornis

These small, dark colored ants get their name from the habit of meandering around, not following trails as often as other ants.  Instead of looking focused (following distinct trails), they often are found wandering around counter tops, floors, etc., as if they are lost. All workers in a crazy ant colony are the same size and all have only one node between the thorax and abdomen. When viewed with a magnifying glass or microscope, these pests are easily recognized by their long antennae (which contains 12 segments) and extremely long legs. The crazy ant’s diet can vary from grease, sweets, and even other insects.  Once a colony locates a desired food source, hundreds of workers will be found crawling all over the food. In a very short time period, they will take all of the food, making it disappear quickly.