How to Get Rid of Crazy Ants in West Palm Beach (Without Them Coming Right Back)

If you’ve noticed fast-moving reddish-brown ants zigzagging across your kitchen or patio, you may be dealing with a crazy ant infestation. In West Palm Beach, these tiny invaders are one of the most common ants found in homes. They’re known for erratic movement, long antennae, and large colonies that can spread quickly through a home, sometimes showing up around wall voids and electrical equipment.

Getting rid of crazy ants in South Florida isn’t as simple as using store-bought sprays. These ants can form multiple nesting sites, and activity can return quickly if the source nests aren’t addressed.

That’s why many homeowners rely on professional pest control from Native Pest Management to address crazy ants with pet-friendly, environmentally-friendly treatments and help reduce the chances of them returning.

Key Takeaways

Crazy ants can spread quickly and may form multiple nesting sites indoors and outdoors.
Clean up food sources, vacuum along active trails, and consider bait to help reduce activity.
Professional pest control can target the source of the activity and help reduce rebound infestations.
Native Pest Management’s pet-friendly, environmentally-friendly pest control services help protect your home year-round.

Get Crazy Ants Under Control Fast

A crazy ant infestation can grow quickly if not addressed. To protect your home from these household pests, start with these practical steps.

Clean Up Food Sources Immediately

Crazy ants are drawn to sugars and proteins.

Crumbs, spills, and leftover pet food can attract them quickly, especially in warm weather. Keep kitchens clean, wipe surfaces daily, and store pantry items in sealed containers. Even small food particles near baseboards or appliances can trigger an ant problem.

Vacuum Trails and Entry Points

Crazy ants often follow pheromone trails they leave behind as they move between food sources and nesting areas. Vacuuming along floors, walls, and around crevices removes these trails and prevents new ant colonies from following the same paths.

Studies of ants foraging show workers lay and reinforce pheromone trails to profitable food and that other ant species may eavesdrop on those same signals, so removing residues helps break both recruitment and cross-recruitment.

Seal and dispose of the vacuum contents in an outdoor trash bin to reduce the chance ants survive and spread.

Use the Right Ant Bait

Contact sprays may kill the ants you see, but often don’t address the nest, and disturbed ants can relocate. For longer-lasting control, bait can help because it’s carried back by foraging ants and can affect nest activity over time.

Native Pest Management uses Maxforce Complete Granular Insect Bait, a long-lasting treatment that worker ants carry back to their nests. This approach is designed to reach beyond the ants you see and help knock down colony activity.

Depending on where the activity is happening, treatment may focus on interior areas, exterior areas, or both to help control ants like ghost ants, and big-headed ants that commonly show up in Florida homes.

Stop Them From Coming Right Back

Even after activity drops, crazy ants can reappear if conditions still support nesting nearby. Here’s why they come back, and how to stop it for good.

Missed Colonies

Tawny crazy ants can be difficult to control because they may form multiple satellite nests across a yard and around structures.

If nests are missed, activity can rebound as remaining colonies continue to expand. Our technicians start with a detailed inspection to identify likely nesting areas and then apply targeted ant control treatments to support long-term control.

Easy Entry Points

Ants sneak in through cracks, gaps, and unsealed entry points around doors, windows, and foundation lines. These openings also let in roaches and other household pests.

During service visits, our technicians focus on treating active areas and reinforcing protection where ants are getting in.

Moisture Problems

In humid Florida, moisture attracts crazy ants, and even carpenter ants. It can also contribute to termite risk around a structure.

Damp mulch, leaking pipes, or unventilated crawlspaces can create favorable nesting conditions. Reducing humidity and trimming back landscaping near your foundation can help lower the risk of future ant problems.

Nest, Trails, and Moisture Hotspots to Target

Crazy ants don’t spread evenly throughout your home. Identifying these hiding and travel areas helps you focus treatment and prevention on the most active zones.

Nests Inside Walls and Baseboards

Inside homes, crazy ants may nest in protected voids such as behind baseboards, inside wall spaces, and other sheltered areas. These species of ants are known to cause short-circuiting by nesting in appliances.

If you notice ants near light switches or electronics, it’s time for ant prevention measures.

Outdoor Trails Along Foundations

Outside, ants create trails along concrete, fences, and mulch beds. They use this cover to move between their outdoor and indoor nests.

Switching from organic mulch to gravel or crushed rock can reduce moisture retention near the foundation and may make travel paths less favorable for ants.

Damp Areas Around HVAC Units and Crawlspaces

HVAC condensation, leaky irrigation systems, and shady crawlspaces can create moisture pockets that ants may take advantage of. When needed, we can treat outdoor zones with bait and barrier applications that fit Florida conditions.

Schedule an Ant Inspection in West Palm Beach

If you’re struggling to get rid of crazy ants, it’s time to call a pest control company that understands the unique challenges of West Palm Beach homes.

Native Pest Management offers free inspections and tailored ant control options designed for Florida’s tropical climate. Whether you’re dealing with crazy ants, fire ants, sugar ants, or other types of ants, our technicians will inspect the activity, identify contributing conditions, and recommend a treatment plan.

FAQs

What do crazy ants look like?

Crazy ants are small ants with long antennae and a fast, erratic walking pattern. They’re one of the most common ants in Florida homes and are easily identified by their rapid, erratic motion.

Can I use DIY treatments for ant infestations?

DIY methods may kill visible ants, but they often don’t address the full nest network, so activity can return. For lasting results, schedule professional pest control from Native Pest Management.

Are crazy ants dangerous?

While they don’t sting like fire ants, heavy ant activity can become a nuisance indoors. They may sometimes cause structural damage and affect electrical equipment when ants nest in or around it.