Crazy Ants

Foraging Characteristics

Medium sized reddish-brown, grayish to blackish ant. Workers of any one species all similar in size. Run erratically and quickly. Long and slender, with long legs and antennae. P. longicornis has specially long appendages. Usually seen in large numbers running erratically. So distinct trails are difficult to discriminate.

Nest Sites & Characteristics

Nest in soil or under objects resting on the ground, like potted plants, bags of soil, toys. Also in trash lies, rotten wood, and trees buttresses. Nests are transitory and ants may be seen relocating, carrying brood from one nest site to another. Males and females of P. longicornis are winged but wings are removed from females before they are fully mature, and males have never been seen to fly.

Detailed Description

2-3 mm (1/12 - 1/8 in ) long. Twelve segmented antennae without club. One petiolar segment. No sting. Gaster with circular fringe of hairs at tip. Erect hairs usually coarse and bristle like P. longicornis (2.3-2.9mm) has very long slender antennae and legs gray to black in coloration, whitish hairs on thorax. P. bourbonica (2.6-3.2mm) has larger eyes, more hair, and longer erect hairs on the antennae than other species. P. pubens (2.75-3mm) is paler than bourbonica with longer light brown hairs on the thorax. Subfamily Formicinae.