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Researcher 'Crazy' about Crazy Ants
For the past four years, doctoral candidate Jason Meyers has been working with a very interesting “invasive” insect species, which the locals call “Crazy Rasberry Ants”.
The ants were discovered in 2002 by a pest control operator working in Pasadena, TX. Dr. Gold and Jason Meyers, his graduate student, working at the Center for Urban and Structural Entomology at Texas
A&M, began their research in 2004. Meyers was very interested in them and selected to study the ants as a project for his doctoral dissertation.
Since then, Meyers has been the only person studying this type of ant, officially named Paratrechina sp. nr. pubens. He said that there is no officially accepted common name for the ant. The most common names that the ant has been called called are the Caribbean crazy ant and the crazy rasberry ant.
For the past few years, Meyers has been studying the biology and systematics of the ants to find a feasible and economical method of controlling them. The ants are reddish-brown in color and are 1/8 inch long in appearance. They nest mainly outdoors, but will forage in homes and can be underneath any object they find, especially those that retain moisture.
Meyers said the ants are polygyne, which means their colony can have multiple queens, and can number in the several hundred to few thousand. The size can also form supercolonies, which can go from thousands to millions. The colonies can be found under or inside most any objects, including trash cans, stumps, concrete, rocks and potted plants.
While studying the ants near the Houston area, Meyers received reports that they were found in such electrical areas, such as air conditioner units, computer components, pool pump control boxes and valve units on lift stations. The ants are a concern, he said, because they can get inside and short out sensitive equipment, causing problems and damage.
In addition to structural and electrical concerns, Meyers was concerned the ants would affect the overall diversity of indigenous ant species in the area. Meyers said the ants could possibly out compete other species for food and other resources, and greatly reducing numbers of indigenous ant colonies around the areas affected.
Through his research, Meyers hopes to find an economical and feasible way to control the ants and to have a temporarily comprehensive population management program. Right now, he said there is no economically feasible way to control the ants because they are not attracted to most baits, and the products involved in treating them are not readily available to consumers.
"We hope to find an economical or feasible control method that entails a temporary comprehensive population control program in the future," he said.
So far, Meyers has seen the ants go as far north as the Conroe area and as southwest as the city of El Campo in Wharton County. Most of the ants found have been concentrated in Brazoria, Harris and Galveston counties. Meyers hopes to have a better understanding on the biology and distribution rates of the ants.
"I hope to have a basic understanding of the movements, which will lead to future work on predicting their rate of expansion," he said.
Meyers also needs the public's, as well as pest control operators' help in identifying any new sites. If anyone sees any indication of these ants at their residence or business, please contact Meyers and send any samples in sealed vials and fill out the form available online.
Meyers is expected to complete his PhD in August.