Ant - Rasberry

CRAZY RASBERRY ANTS

The Rasberry crazy ant or tawny crazy ant, Nylanderia fulva, is relatively new for us and originally from South America. Like the longhorn crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis), this species is called "crazy ant" because of the ants' quick, erratic movements. It is also called the "Rasberry crazy ant" in Texas after the exterminator Tom Rasberry, who noticed the ants were increasing in numbers in 2002.

In 2014, it was discovered that this ant produces and covers itself with formic acid as an antidote against the fire ant's venom. It is the first example of an insect being able to neutralize another insect's poison, an ability speculated to have evolved in South America while sharing the same native range. Colonies have multiple queens, which contributes to their survival.

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