ph: 361-935-1556
nancyk
January 29, 2021
by Linda Hartman and Linda Lees/Victoria County Master Gardener
Edited by Suzanne LaBrecque/Victoria County Master Gardener
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER LINDA LEES
Crazy Ants farming Mealy Bugs attached to the leaf of a Meyer Lemon.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY HENRY HARTMAN/CREATIVE IMAGES
Crazy ants recently trailed along the Hartman's patio.
Natural Killers:
Diatomaceous Earth
Borax
To learn more about them go to texasinsects.tamu.edu and check out the “Field Guide to Common Texas Insects.”
We share the same first name, we’re both Master Gardeners and we are next-door neighbors. We share something else: crazy ants. We wish to share some of what we’ve learned about these tiny nuisances.
We don’t know how long crazy ants have been in Texas, but it has been at least since the early 2000s. They hitched their way from countries south of the border by water, air, rail and highway. They are now among the more than 200 species of ants in Texas.
Texas has several kinds of crazy ants including raspberries, Argentines and longhorns. To the naked eye, they all look pretty much the same, except for color, which may be reddish brown or black. Unlike other ants that march in straight lines as they forage for food, these ants move in erratic patterns; hence the common name “crazy ant.”
Because they are about one-eighth of an inch in length, it is easy not to notice them at first. In no time, there will be thousands of them crawling in all different directions on the patio and through the garden. Although dormant during cold snaps, they quickly reveal themselves once temperatures rise, so in our area they are pests even during winter months.
They have been known to cause electrical shorts, injure small wildlife and damage plants. Because crazy ants are immune to their venom, fire ants have been driven out of some places. Oh, what we wouldn’t give to have the fire ants back.
In general, ants have a symbiotic relationship with aphids, whiteflies and mealy bugs. Crazy ants are no different. However, with untold numbers of them aiding these insects, the results can very discouraging. It is amazing to watch crazy ants as they “farm” their insect friends. Ants love aphids and other leaf fluid sucking insects because they excrete a sugary liquid commonly called “honeydew,” an important ant food source that we see as that black sooty mold on plants.
Upon capture, the insect will find itself being injected with a fluid that turns it into a zombie-like creature. The ant encourages honeydew production by stroking the captive with its antennae. Left unhindered the insect farms and ant populations explode.
Crazy ants are here to stay, so it is up to homeowners to protect their property. They may contract with a professional exterminator or they may decide to take on the job themselves. This is a continuous effort because the “crazies” keep coming back.
Here’s a list of steps to follow for do-it-yourselfers:
Ants benefit the soil that plants depend upon, and besides that, their habits are so fascinating that they are intriguing to watch. To learn more about them go to texasinsects.tamu.edu and check out the “Field Guide to Common Texas Insects.”
The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
ph: 361-935-1556
nancyk