SUPERCOLONY ANTS
The most frequently encountered ants in our area are Big Headed, Caribbean Crazy, Carpenter, Fire, Ghost and White Footed. The most troublesome to control of these are the Big Headed, Caribbean Crazy and White Footed ants. They are also known as “supercolony” ants.
Big Headed Ants
Big headed ants are so called because some of their workers have enlarged heads which are disproportionately large for the size of their body. Outside you can find their nests in water meter boxes, beneath the grass next to your home’s foundation, in trees, or beneath sidewalks and paved areas. Just about everywhere. They enter your home through cracks in the foundation and/or slab and travel inside your walls along electrical wires and water pipes. Piles of loose soil inside your home next to the baseboards probably indicate a Big Headed Ant infestation.
Big Headed Ants are difficult to control because they have multiple nests each of which is comprised of up to a million ants. These nests are always dividing and moving. Ants invading your home may be coming from a nest located in your neighbor’s yard. Because there are so many nests located in so many locations, and because these ants reproduce so rapidly, pesticide applications are short lived. After 4-6 weeks the ants usually re invade your property and retreatment is required.
Caribbean Crazy Ants
Caribbean Crazy Ants are so named because they originate from the Caribbean Islands and have “crazy” quick, erratic movements when disturbed. The newest of the “supercolony” ant species to invade our area, their nests can be found just about everywhere outside. They forage into homes looking for food and water. They are attracted to the warmth of electrical devices and can cause damage to outdoor light fixtures, irrigation and pool pumps and clocks. Inside, they can short circuit computers.
Caribbean Crazy Ants are multiple nesting ants with populations so high they seem to make the ground move. While other ant species forage for food in single line trails, these ants forage in dense trails that are up to 8 inches wide. Complete eradication of Caribbean Crazy Ants is nearly impossible. Management is an ongoing process that requires multiple treatments and homeowners participation.
