Crazy ants, also known as Raspberry Crazy Ants (in honor of a Texan exterminator who identified them) are a big problem for homeowners because of their overwhelming numbers. These ants are particularly destructive indoors where they can compromise the structural integrity of a house and get into appliances, short-circuiting and destroying them. Crazy ants cannot survive in harsh weather and prefer to build colonies indoors during cold weather. A single colony can contain as many as 2,500 individual ants similar to pharaoh ants in apartment building.
The scientific name for these ants is Paratrechina Longicornis
Identifying Crazy Ants
Crazy ants are approximately 2.2 to 3 millimeters in length and reddish-brown in color. They have elongated antennae with 12 segments. These don’t have a club.
The reason why they are called ‘Crazy Ants’ is owing to their erratic behavior. Ants in general are admired for their orderly and procession-like movement. Crazy Ants on the other hand move in frantic, zig-zag patterns.
Crazy ants have a versatile diet which guarantees their survival in your home. The pests will feed on seeds, fruits, grease, liquids, meats, sweets and most kinds of household foods. Apart from crazy ants you also have a species known as a sugar ant which goes for sweet food. When infested heavily they can do some serious damage1
How to Get Rid of Crazy Ants
Although there are baits and insecticides available for DIY extermination, the best option is to call a professional crazy ant exterminator in Toronto.
First, these ants are known for their ‘Budding’ habit. This is a situation where a fertile queen along with a few workers leaves the original nest to form a new colony elsewhere within the premises. A colony can contain up to 40 queens meaning that the number of possible new colonies is exponential. Treating a single colony doesn’t guarantee that you have resolved the problem.Get professional ant control help as soon as you notice ants in your home.
These ants also build their nests inside electronics, walls and other hard-to-reach areas. They also forage a considerable distance from their nests so it can be difficult to pin-point the exact location of the nest for extermination. You may also have an ant problem both indoors and outdoors. The outdoor ants may simply come in to take the place of the dead ants after extermination and the cycle begins all over again.
Lastly, most over-the-counter baits and pesticides do not work on crazy ants and do not have the same potency as what professional pest control experts use.
A crazy ant exterminator in Toronto will begin with a thorough inspection of the home and outdoors before the extermination. Additional services may include sealing cervices and cracks, caulking gaps, removing debris and trimming bushes and trees to avoid a future crazy ant attack.
Hire a pest control company that offers a warranty for the job so you don’t have to pay any more than is necessary in the unlikely event that the extermination isn’t successful the first time around. Call The Exterminators – Pest Control Toronto if you need professional ant control services in Toronto. 647-496-2211
