Tawny Crazy Ant
Reddish-brown ants that run in erratic, zigzag patterns and swarm electronics.
Photo: Insects Unlocked (CC0) · public domain/CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
About 3 mm, reddish-brown with a long, slender body and notably long antennae and legs. Move in fast, random directions — not in organized trails like most ants — giving them their 'crazy' name.
Soil, mulch, leaf litter, wall voids, and especially any dry cavity near heat — junction boxes, AC units, compressors and pool equipment.
- Erratic, fast-moving reddish ants with no clear trail
- Massive numbers appearing suddenly — often millions
- Dead ants piling up in and around electrical boxes and junction boxes
- Colonies short-circuiting air conditioners, junction boxes and electronics
Tawny crazy ants are one of Florida's most damaging invasive pests. They swarm electronics causing costly short-circuit failures, displace native wildlife, and can overwhelm a property overnight. They also displace fire ants entirely.
Rhino treats the perimeter and harborage with non-repellent products and repeats on a close schedule to manage these fast-spreading colonies before they can rebuild.
Our Ant Control service