Longhorn crazy ant

Paratrechina longicornis
	Paratrechina longicornis worker
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Genus:	Paratrechina
Species:	P. longicornis
Binomial name
	Paratrechina longicornis; (Latreille, 1802)
Synonyms
	Prenolepis longicornis Roger (1863) ; Prenolepis (Nylanderia) longicornis Emery (1910) ; Formica longicornis Latreille (1802); Formica vagans Jerdon (1851) ; Formica gracilescens Nylander (1856) ; Tapinoma gracilescens F. Smith (1858) ; Paratrechina currens Motschoulsky (1863) ; Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) (1925);

The longhorn crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis), also known as the black crazy ant, is a species of small, dark-coloured insect in the family Formicidae. These ants are commonly called "crazy ants" because instead of following straight lines, they dash around erratically. They have a broad distribution, including much of the tropics and subtropics, and are also found in buildings in more temperate regions, making them one of the most widespread ant species in the world. This species, as well as all others in the ant subfamily Formicinae, cannot sting. However, this species can fire/shoot a formic acid spray from its abdomen when under attack by other insects or attacking other insects. When the longhorn crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis) bends its abdomen while aiming at an enemy insect, it is typically shooting its hard-to-see acid.

These ants can be touched safely, similar to the ghost ants.

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