How To Identify And Get Rid Of Crazy Ants In Your Yard

An ant infestation in your yard could quickly lead to an ant problem inside your house or car, depending on where these pests decide to nest. Not all ants pose a threat to you or your home, though, making it important to identify the type of ant you're dealing with before choosing a treatment plan. Some ant species are easy to recognize, such as fire ants, with their distinctive reddish bodies and painful stings, while others are more challenging to pinpoint. One species that you may not recognize at first glance is the crazy ant—a small ant that moves in an erratic pattern.

While crazy ants aren't typically aggressive toward humans, they might bite if they feel threatened. The real dangers lie in the size of their colonies. One crazy ant colony contains as many as eight to 40 queens, and the population of these ants quickly multiplies. They will nest just about anywhere, from tree cavities to under rocks. Crazy ants feed on honeydew, the secretion left by insects feeding on plants, so in the winter when their food source dries up, they'll often move inside. These ants can't survive harsh winters unprotected, so they might nest inside your home's walls, electrical components, or even air conditioners, causing significant damage. Some DIY methods, such as the use of baits and granular insecticides, can help eradicate an infestation. However, large infestations almost always require professional pest control services.

Crazy ants are on the smaller to medium side, measuring about ⅛ inch long, and can appear reddish-brown, yellow, dark brown, or black in color. They have six legs and a 12-segmented antenna, but unlike fire ants, they don't have stingers. What really sets these ants apart and makes them easy to identify is their erratic movement (hence the name, "crazy" ants). While most ants move in a uniform, organized line, crazy ants move in a disorganized, frantic pattern, often chaotically zigzagging.

Originating from South America, crazy ants have been spotted in many states, but are most commonly found in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. They're considered an invasive species and can thrive in moist or dry conditions. Due to their large colony size, they often displace other ant species in the yard, including fire ants. Typical nesting sites include areas such as under rocks, piles of debris, fallen trees, in rotten wood, and even in trash.

Give  the invasive nature of crazy ants, it's best to proactively take steps to eliminate them at first sight. Unlike with fire ant colonies that you can dig up, DIY pest solutions aren't the best choice for crazy ant elimination. An integrated pest management solution is typically needed. This involves employing multiple tactics, such as placing liquid and granular baits near known nest sites and around the perimeter of the yard, treating the yard with a granular pesticide, and spot-treating the perimeter of the house to prevent crazy ants from entering. If you don't want to use chemical treatments on your lawn, you can try methods to get rid of ants naturally, however, their effectiveness may vary. Severe infestation will likely require pest control services and the use of pesticides and insecticides, which these professionals are trained to use safely.

Yard cleanup is another necessary step to help eliminate or reduce crazy ant populations. Reducing yard debris, such as fallen leaves, dead plant matter, sticks, grass clippings, and other organic matter, makes the yard less hospitable for the ants. You can also take a proactive approach to keeping ants out of your home by sealing any cracks or holes in the foundation or siding of your house. Since these ants quickly multiply, taking immediate action is your best defense.