Anoplolepis gracilipes
Yellow crazy ant
Devastating tropical invader that forms supercolonies and causes ecological collapses on islands.
- Habitat
- Tropical forests, plantations and urban areas in invaded tropical regions.
- Behavior
- Massive supercolonies; characteristic erratic movements; sprays formic acid.
- Distribution
- Uncertain origin (possibly Africa); invasive on tropical islands worldwide.
- Diet
- Extreme omnivore: insects, carrion, nectar, seeds and honeydew.
# Key Features
*Anoplolepis gracilipes* owes its name to its rapid, erratic movements that seem "crazy". It is one of the world's most destructive invaders, causing extinctions of native fauna on islands like Christmas Island, where it eliminated the red land crab. Its supercolonies can reach densities of 2,000 workers per square meter. It sprays formic acid to blind and kill prey much larger than itself. It protects agricultural pests in exchange for honeydew and nests in any available cavity, from leaf litter to electronic equipment.