Crazy ants are taking over Texas, and it isn't fun

Crazy ants are taking over parts of Texas. Here's a few things to know about these critters. Although small in size, crazy ants colonize by the millions and can wreak havoc on wildlife and personal property. Crazy ants are taking over parts of Texas. Here's a few things to know about these critters. Although small in size, crazy ants colonize by the millions and can wreak havoc on wildlife and personal property. Photo: DirectToArchive Photo: DirectToArchive Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close Crazy ants are taking over Texas, and it isn't fun 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

Ants are a nuisance, best known for itchy bites and ruining picnics.

But, a new species of crazy ant is taking over Texas. In some ways they appear to be worse than fire ants and there's no good way to stop them.

These ants swarm fast and are plentiful in some areas.

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“An invasion of these can be so extreme that it’s hard to call it just a nuisance,” University of Texas entomologist Edward LeBrun told The Austin American-Statesman.

The wacko ants first popped up in Pearland in 2002 and have been becoming more and more of a problem ever since.

The ants have been known to crawl into and ruin televisions, appliances and other electronic devices. No one is entirely sure why.

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David Oi, a research entomologist at the Department of Agriculture, told The New York Times in 2013, the bizarre idea that the bugs are actually attracted to the electricity itself can’t be ruled out.

The crazy ants or Raspberry ants - yep, that's actually what they are called - are found in 23 Texas counties.

The ants have very little venom, but do impose a slight sting when they bite. Mostly, though, they're a hazard to electrical equipment.

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They are a relatively new species in the region and little is known about how to control or kill the population. And, unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much that can be done about them right now.

So, for the moment, the best advice is to avoid ant piles and clusters. And, hope that none make it inside to crawl around the electronics.