Crazy Ants are Invading Southern States; Causing Damage to Electronics and Home Electrical Wiring
I never imagined a day when red ants or fire ants would be a welcome sight but, once you get invaded by ‘crazy ants’, you may long for the good old days. Tawny crazy ants, scientifically called Nylanderia fulva, are invading the Southern area of the United States and they are much worse than red ants.
The crazy ants have been discovered in Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana and have infiltrated en masse to the most unwelcome places, electronics! They attach themselves to electronics and get inside, get electrocuted, causing short circuits and then release a smell that attracts more ants. The crazy ants don’t sting like red ants, but they travel in huge populations that will invade the walls in homes, cars and electrical equipment. There could be millions in a home's electric box, causing major problems for home owners. No electronic devices are safe, laptops, house wiring, even ATV’s and jet skis. Some invasions of the tawny crazy ants have already cost thousands of dollars in damage and they are hard to control. Crazy ants don’t respond to typical methods of ant removal like bait traps and ant sprays.
The crazy ants are migrating from their native country of South America and so far have only been found the four states in the U.S. According to University of Texas research assistant Edward LeBrun, the best way to control the tawny crazy ant is to keep clutter off the ground and call a professional exterminator.
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