Crazy ants?

These ants were seen on Kauai, and seem to move much more quickly than I am used to seeing them.

Could these be "crazy ants"?

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  1. Forest & Kim (8 months ago | reply)

    Yeah, the dark color and quick motion suggest crazy ants (Paratrechina longicornis). Would need closer shots of individual ants to confirm.
    www.hear.org/starr/images/species/?q=paratrec hina+longico...

  2. EBKauai (8 months ago | reply)

    They don't appear to be the rasberry ants, looked like common black ants, except that they were fast and erratic. Found in a baseyard area where materials get moved around a lot. Any idea if they are established on Kauai?

  3. Forest & Kim (8 months ago | reply)

    Crazy Ant (Paratechina longicornis) is known from Kauai. The Raspberry Crazy Ant (Nylanderia sp. nr. pubens) is not known to be established in Hawaii.

    More info.:

    "The crazy ant, P. longicornis, may in some cases create massive, but localized numbers. These species look similar, but have marked differences. Paratrechina longicornis antennae and legs are significantly longer than that of N. sp. nr. pubens. Paratrechina longicornis thorax is extended in length considerably, compared to that of the Nylanderia species. Although the use of color as an identification tool is not to be relied upon, the crazy ant is often jet black in color, especially when compared to the typically reddish-brown of N. sp. nr. pubens."
    urbanentomology.tamu.edu/ants/exotic_tx.cfm

    If you would like a more definitive ID, catch some ants, freeze them, then take images and post here, or take specimens to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

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