The tawny crazy ant, a relative newcomer to the U.S., is expanding its range and causing concern among Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologists.
The pest is an invasive species that was first found in the Houston area 10 years ago and has been a problem in some residential areas there since that time.
“Much of the impact so far has been in urban areas where it is attracted to electrical circuits and can short them out, much as fire ants do,” said Dr. Charles Allen, AgriLife Extension entomology program leader/Texas A&M University entomology associate department head and state integrated pest management coordinator. “But what we know about the ant leads us to believe it could be important – possibly very important – for an entirely different reason to Texas crop producers.”
For more details on Allen’s potential concerns for row crops, read the AgriLife article here.
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