Tawny Crazy Ants Invade Homes In Massive Numbers Where They Frequently Establish Destructive Infestations Within A Variety Of Electronic Devices, Resulting In Costly Damage
Tawny crazy ants are native to South America, but they were discovered in the US for the first time back in 2002 when specimens were collected by a pest control professional in a suburb of Houston. Today, Tawny crazy ants can be found in multiple southern states and in dozens of counties in Texas. Tawny crazy ants have been well established in San Antonio for several years where they frequently infest homes in massive numbers. These invasive ant pests become particularly abundant in San Antonio during hot and damp spring and summer seasons, and they frequently establish multiple colonies in residential yards, before spreading to trees, and eventually, homes.
The Tawny crazy ant’s habit of invading electronic items ranging from smartphones to high-voltage power boxes is one of the most peculiar, and damaging, aspects of this ant pest’s behavior. As a result of this odd behavior, Tawny crazy ants cause electronic devices to short circuit, making replacements or costly repairs necessary. Tawny crazy ant infestations cannot be eradicated with over-the-counter insecticides, as only a small number of professional-grade insecticides have been found to effectively exterminate the ants. While Tawny crazy ants are major nuisance pests of economic significance, they do not sting, but they may inflict bites to humans on occasion.
Tawny crazy ants are particularly well known for infesting and damaging air conditioning units. In most cases, air conditioning units that stop working due to short circuits caused by Tawny crazy ant infestations need to have multiple interior switches professionally replaced. One electronics expert in Texas states that he has found thousands of Tawny crazy ants infesting many air conditioners while performing repairs. These ant pests may be naturally driven to seek shelter within dark electronic devices, as Tawny crazy ants do not construct their own sheltered nesting sites. This may also explain why the ant pests rapidly gravitate into crevices, wall voids and other dark indoor areas once they gain access into homes. Their small size measuring less than an ⅛ of an inch in length allows Tawny crazy to crawl into smartphones, computers, TV remotes and appliances with no problem. Unfortunately, when these ants electrocute themselves within an electronic device, they automatically release an alarm pheromone that attracts additional Tawny crazy ants into the already compromised device.
Have you ever owned an electronic device that became damaged after it had been invaded by ants?
