Which crazy ant?
Sudden, explosive outbreaks of unidentified pests are relatively rare, which is why the appearance of an unknown species of crazy ant in the genus Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) (formerly Paratrechina) in 2002 near Houston, Texas, U.S.A. received extensive media coverage. Particularly worrisome was the preliminary observation that this crazy ant can successfully compete with and even displace the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, one of the most costly invasive arthropods in the United States and generally considered to be one of the worst invasive insects in the world. … [h]owever, reliable estimates for the damage and potential impact of this new pest are still lacking, in part, because its taxonomic uncertainty has prevented any previous research or historical accounts from being used effectively.
The Importance of Using Multiple Approaches for Identifying Emerging Invasive Species: The Case of the Rasberry Crazy Ant in the United States
PLOS One