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Home , Fire ant, Rasberry crazy ant

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R Rasberry Crazy R

E PARKS AND WILDLIFE B S

A In 2002, Tom Rasberry, a professional pest-management provider from Pearland, discovered R M

O a population of a new pest near Pasadena, Texas, in Harris County. Huge numbers of T Rasberry this new ant literally covered the landscape in industrial parks and residences. The Center for Urban and Structural Entomology within the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University has identified the ant as a new exotic invasive pest in Texas, but the species’ iden - Crazy Ant tification and country of origin are still unresolved. It is now commonly called the , sp. nr. pubens . Currently, little is known regarding the biology of this A new exotic species ant. The ant population has begun to spread, often through human assistance. invading Texas For more information, photos Where are they found? What do they do?

and help with identification, High numbers of the In infested areas around the Houston area, Rasberry crazy ants large numbers of Rasberry crazy ants have please visit have been found in caused great annoyance to residents and http://urbanentomology.tamu.edu localized spot businesses. Because one multi-queen infestations in colony can number in the millions, ants southeast Houston can blanket the ground and trees, creating (Harris County), uncomfortable situations that prevent including Houston, residents from enjoying time outdoors. Pasadena, Deer Park, Pets and may avoid the outdoors Friendswood, San Jacinto due to the constantly crawling crazy ants. Port, Pearland, Seabrook and La Although these ants do not have , Porte. As of December 2008, localized worker ants possess a structure called an infestations have also been confirmed in acidopore on the end of their abdomen areas of Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, which can excrete chemicals for defense Hardin, Jefferson, Liberty, Montgomery, or attack. The Rasberry crazy ants are Orange, Walker and Wharton counties. capable of , and their bite causes a New infestations are suspected beyond relatively sharp pain that quickly fades. these areas. Rasberry crazy ants have been found 4200 Smith School Road This ant has the potential to spread well accumulating in large numbers in electrical Austin, TX 78744 beyond its current range in coastal Texas, equipment, causing short circuits and to possibly include the southern half of equipment failure. In some documented www.tpwd.state.tx.us Texas and the southeastern U.S. However, cases, the ants have caused tens of thou - it is a semi-tropical ant and high popula - sands of dollars in damage and remedial ©2009 PWD BR K0700-1219 (3/09) tions will likely be limited by cooler costs. Critical electrical and computer sys -

In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the R E weather conditions. tems in traffic signals, businesses, schools,

Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. T R hospitals and airports could be affected. O TPWD receives federal assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service P These ants can be transported through and other federal agencies. TPWD is therefore subject to Title VI of the Civil D R movement of almost any infested con - Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the O Todd Staples, Commissioner of Agriculture, F

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, N tainer or material. Thus, the movement of suspects the Rasberry crazy ant to be a Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, in addition to state anti- A discrimination laws. TPWD will comply with state and federal laws prohibiting S garbage, yard debris, bags or loads of com - potentially serious agricultural pest. discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability. If post or bales of hay by car, truck, railroad However, no information is yet available you believe that you have been discriminated against in any TPWD program, activity or event, you may contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division Bastiaan M. Drees, Paul R. Nester and Roger or airplane can transport ant colonies and on potential crop yields or economic of Federal Assistance, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop: MBSP-4020, Arling - result in new areas of infestation. effects in infested lands. ton, VA 22203, Attention: Civil Rights Coordinator for Public Access. E. Gold, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Y R R E B R S E A T R R O

M Identifying characteristics What can you do to P O T D

R and behavior prevent and control them? O F N A

S Until better control methods are developed, The best way to prevent a Rasberry crazy ant infestation is to be you can help control Rasberry crazy ants by “ant-aware.” identifying colonies and discouraging the ants from nesting on your property. • Report suspicious ant problems, and have the ants identified by a specialist. Rasberry crazy ants: • Are about 1/8-inch long and reddish-brown. • Avoid bringing ant-infested articles onto your property. Accumulations in Carefully inspect new plant materials, mulch or brought electrical equipment • Are social that live in large colonies containing many onto your property. cause short circuits queen ants, worker ants and brood consisting of larval and and equipment failure. pupal stages. Colony size can be in the thousands, infesting • If Rasberry crazy ants are detected, practice good sanitization entire subdivisions, industrial sites, agricultural operations, techniques by removing potential nesting sites, such as piles of parks and wildlife habitats. debris (mulch, wood etc.) from around buildings, or stacks of What effect do • Do not construct hills or mounds like ants, and do not debris from the property. they have on wildlife? emerge to the surface from underground nests through central

openings. Instead, colonies can be found under or within almost R Many of the typical control tactics E T that work for other ants do not pro - Wildlife such as nesting songbirds are any object or void, including piles of debris, stumps, fallen logs, R O

P vide adequate control of the Rasberry irritated by the Rasberry crazy ants. leaf litter, soil, concrete, rocks or potted plants. D

R crazy ant. Rasberry crazy ant work -

Masses of crazy ants covering the ground • Primarily form nests outdoors, but can roam indoors from O F ers are not attracted to most bait and trees likely affect ground and tree- outdoor nests. N A

S products used for the and nesting birds and other small , and • Form loose foraging trails as well as forage randomly other ants. Because colonies predom - cause wildlife to move out of the area. (non-trailing) and crawl rapidly and erratically (hence inantly nest outdoors, indoor treat - the description “crazy” ant). The ants are even displacing red imported ments are not effective in controlling • Eat almost anything. Worker ants commonly “tend” sucking fire ants in areas of heavy infestation. ants that venture inside structures. hemipterous insects such as , scale insects, whiteflies, However, after experiencing the Rasberry mealybugs, and others that excrete a sugary (carbohydrate) crazy ant, most residents prefer the fire ant. However, there are treatments liquid called “.” Worker crazy ants are also attracted available that offer temporary “buffer A related species of crazy ant has been a to -rich parts of plants including nectaries, damaged and zones” around homes and other struc - serious pest in , reportedly overripe fruit, and consume other insects and small vertebrates tures in urban areas. These products displacing all other ant species. In addition, for protein. must be applied by a licensed applica - the South American crazy ant pest caused • Are hard to spot during cooler winter months. In spring, foraging tor only and are not readily available chickens to die of asphyxia due to ants activity begins and colonies grow, producing millions of workers to the consumer. There are currently no licensed or effective obstructing their nasal passages. Larger that increase dramatically by mid-summer (July-August). Ant treatments that can be used around livestock or wildlife habitats. animals, such as cattle, have been attacked numbers remain high through fall (October-November). around the eyes, nasal area and hooves. If you suspect your house or property is infested with Rasberry Proper identification of Rasberry crazy ants by a specialist crazy ants, call a professional pest-control provider. These experi - is essential. If you are a pest-control operator or landowner enced, licensed professionals can offer successful alternatives that Very little is currently known about the and you suspect you have seen these ants, please wildlife impact from Rasberry crazy ants. are unavailable to consumers. After treatment, or when making SUBMIT A SAMPLE FOR IDENTIFICATION multiple applications over time, piles of dead ants must be swept If you observe any effect on wildlife, by the Center for Urban and Structural Entomology. or moved out of the area in order to treat the surface(s) under - please report it to Texas Parks and Visit http://urbanentomology.tamu.edu for an “Identification neath, being careful not to sweep or blow away a treated surface Wildlife Department by submitting the Request Form” and instructions on submitting ants for identification. such as soil. “Wildlife Impact Report” form found at http://urbanentomology.tamu.edu