What Are Yellow Crazy Ants?

The yellow crazy ant is an ant specie that originates from West Africa that has traveled to different parts of the world, especially the tropical regions. The ants are called crazy because they have erratic movements whenever they are disturbed. They are known for their long antennae and legs, which make them one of the biggest invasive ants out there. The yellow crazy ants can easily establish a colony in a new place and form their habitat due to their aggressive personality against other species.

The yellow crazy ants are also known as scavenging predators with a broader diet. That’s because they can consume different types of food, such as decaying matter, grains, arthropods, and seeds. In addition, they can attack various invertebrates and dismember them, such as mollusks, earthworms, land crabs, and arachnids. Generally, they are more attracted to protein-rich food, especially the queens, because they have to lay eggs.

The most interesting fact is that yellow crazy ants (queen) excrete carbohydrates which is a source of energy for the worker ant. They get carbohydrates from honeydew and nectar-producing insects, such as aphids and scale insects. Moreover, they tend to rely on scale ants. As far as appearance is concerned, it has a slender and long body (it is around 4mm long), and the legs are long and skinny. In addition, the antennae are generally equal to longer than the ant’s length.

Yellow crazy ants can be identified by their longer head rather than a broad head. They have a golden-brown appearance, while the abdomen can be darker and striped. To summarize, yellow crazy ants are available in bigger numbers and colonies rather than surviving on their own.

Why Do Yellow Crazy Ants Cluster Up In Your Home?

Honestly, the yellow crazy ants don’t have organized movements as compared to other ant species and tend to show irrational movements. These movements become more disorganized whenever they find a food source. The yellow crazy ant consumes food from sweets and meats, which means they will cluster up in your home. In addition, they can build colonies in potted plants. On top of everything, these ants can travel long distances to look for food sources but also live under the home and yards.

As far as the entry is concerned, they cluster in the home through crevices, the home’s entryway, and cracked bases. They are notorious for living in larger colonies rather than building compact nests. So, if you can see trails of food and water foraging around the home, you know it’s an infestation.

How To Get Rid Of Yellow Crazy Ants?

To begin with, it is suggested to prevent and control the yellow crazy ants through inspection. Proactive prevention includes preventing ants from coming into your home and removing food sources. Moreover, you can eliminate the habitat and home conditions that attract them to build their colonies. We are sharing more details in the section below;

Controlling The Yellow Crazy Ants By Clearing Nesting Sites

When it comes down to controlling the ants, you can hire pest management companies, but even they will ask you to remove trash and debris in the yard. In addition, the trees and other vegetation shouldn’t touch the gutters and walls of the house. This is because they forage in the trees and shrubs while extracting honeydew made from scale insects and aphids. Similarly, you can create a cluttered space for collecting trash, debris, and litter.

Using Insecticides

Keeping outdoors clear and clean is for alleviating pest infestation, but if you’ve to remove the infestation, you can opt for insecticides. The insecticides are available in the form of granular formulations, liquid sprays, and baits. The pest control services generally use chemical-based insecticides to kill the yellow crazy ants, which focuses on their biology. In addition, they are highly likely to make multiple trips to clear the infestation, but inspection will always remain an important part.

As far as the products are concerned, the toxicants and baits can be used as a food source for yellow crazy ants because the worker ant share food. On the other hand, baits are used in places where ants can be seen foraging. For indoor baiting, you need to place baits at different places where you suspect the colonies. You can also use the perimeter treatments as they are made of liquid sprays and are known to kill ants. In the section below, we are sharing some prevention tips, such as;

• Make sure the house and outdoor surroundings are properly sanitized
• Always eat food at specific parts of the home and make sure those areas are regularly cleaned
• Ensure there are no cracks and gaps in window frames, foundation, door frames, and baseboards (you can use caulk for filling these gaps)
• Don’t forget to trim the shrubs, vegetation, and trees, so there are no highways for them to travel
• If there are leaking faucets and pipes, fix them

Where Do Yellow Crazy Ants Come From?

The yellow crazy ants are native to Africa but are also seen in other tropical regions. They can colonize in disturbed, moist, and shady areas, such as agricultural lands and yards. Surprisingly, they can thrive in dry and rocky environments because they have been living in Arnhem Land.

Will Yellow Crazy Ants Bite Me?

The yellow crazy ants fall under the category of forminicae, which means they don’t own a stinger, and pincers are small as well. However, they do have a small opening on their abdomen’s tips that sprays out formic acid but, they do it when they are attached. Keep in mind that their huge colonies are always a fatal threat to humans and pets. For this reason, it’s important to clear the yellow crazy ant as soon as you see them.

Are Yellow Crazy Ants Destructive?

The yellow crazy ant can make their home in mulch, debris, tree bases, rocky surfaces, rock walls, leafy litter, pool filters, potted plants, TVs, and ACs. Their food diet range from fruits to seeds and invertebrates. On top of everything, they can attack lizards, frogs, and nesting birds. That being said, yellow crazy ants are a serious threat to agricultural fields, especially sugarcanes, because they depend on nectar and honeydew. So, yes, they can be destructive to food crops. Also, since they can reside under the home’s base and floorboards, the home could be destroyed as well.

Do Yellow Crazy Ants Get Attracted To Water?

Honestly, they are more attracted to food, particularly sweet food. In addition, they don’t even feel attracted to water during summer because they want proteins.

How To Get Rid Of Yellow Crazy Ant Bites?

First of all, you should wash the area and apply some antiseptic treatment. If you are feeling burning or itching sensations, you can opt for a soothing ointment, such as calamine lotion. If there is swelling around the wound, you can use a cold compress. Still, we would suggest that you visit a doctor.

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