Tawny Crazy Ant

Tawny Crazy Ant

Paratrechina fulva

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Everglades National Park

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

5 Verified sightings at Everglades National Park From 2019 to 2026
5 In 1 park
April Best month

About the Tawny Crazy Ant

The Rasberry crazy ant or tawny crazy ant (Nylanderia fulva) is an ant originating in South America. Like the longhorn crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis), this species is called "crazy ant" because of its quick, unpredictable movements (the related N. pubens is known as the "Caribbean crazy ant"). It is sometimes called the "Rasberry crazy ant" in Texas after the exterminator Tom Rasberry, who noticed that the ants were increasing in numbers in 2002. Scientists have reorganised the genera taxonomy within this clade of ants, and now it is identified as Nylanderia fulva.

In 2014, it was discovered that the ant produces and covers itself with formic acid as an antidote to the fire ant's venom. It is the first known example of an insect being able to neutralize another insect's venom, an ability speculated to have evolved in South America where the two species share the same native range. Colonies have multiple queens, which also contributes to their survival.

As of 2012, the ants have established colonies in all states of the Gulf Coast of the United States including at least 27 counties in Southeast Texas. The ant is about 3 mm (or about 1/8 inches) long, thus smaller... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Tawny Crazy Ant in Everglades National Park?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Tawny Crazy Ant sighting in Everglades National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 439th most-seen of the 496 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Tawny Crazy Ant in Everglades National Park?

April and July

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tawny Crazy Ant in Everglades National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May–June and August–March, the lowest months.

Where else can you see a Tawny Crazy Ant?

Only Everglades National Park, in our data

Everglades National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Tawny Crazy Ant sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.

Where does the Tawny Crazy Ant sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Tawny Crazy Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Everglades National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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