Paratrechina longicornis
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Author(s): Eli Sarnat
Source: IPM Images
Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) - (black crazy ant)
This ant is widespread in warmer regions and common in houses and disturbed habitats. It is believed to be native to the Indian subcontinent and invasive in other regions (Cohen et al., 2023). P. longicornis can be a hygienic problem, e.g. in hospitals. It further disturbs the ecology by replacing native ants. It is omnivorous, feeding on food in houses, live or dead insects, fruits and other plant materials.
P. longicornis constructs its nest in cracks in buildings, under stones, or in rotting wood. Each nest may contain hundreds of workers and dozens of queens. The crazy ant can be recognised by its erratic movement.
| Vernacular names | |
|---|---|
| • English: | black crazy ant longhorn crazy ant |
| • Português: | formiga-doida |
The workers are 2-3 mm long and mostly black, with the antennae and parts of the legs being lighter. The bases of the antennae (scapes) and the tibiae are very long. The head is elongated and the mandibles have 5 teeth.
- Other images of Paratrechina longicornis (Wikimedia Commons and IPM Images - click to enlarge)
tending mealybugs
eyes bulging and breaking outline of face
