WESLACO - A local state park is spending thousands of dollars in repairs due to damage by an invasive species of ants.

The Tawny Crazy ants, native to South America, found a new home at the Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Biologist Ben Hutchins said the minute animals are steadily spreading “across large sections of the state.”

“We’ve seen these ants attacking birds, particularly baby birds and small mammals, as well as rabbits,” he said.

Hutchins said the ants don’t make their home in the ground like most ants. He said their nesting is causing problems for the park.

“A lot of electronic devices make great ready-made nests for these species,” Hutchins said. “They can cause electric shorts and they can interfere with internal switches. So they can literally cause thousands of dollars in damage.”

On Wednesday, the park had to replace a power breaker which shorted out because of its new tenants.

According to Hutchins, Tawny Crazy ants can even be found power breakers, AC units and even in vehicles.

He said a way to tell crazy ants apart from other species is to look at their movement. While most ants move in organized lines, Tawny Crazy ants appear to be moving all over the place.

Hutchins recommends hiring professionals to eliminate the species. He said they can be resilient against some pesticides.

“That exterminator should be able to identify and prescribe the appropriate course of treatment,” he said.

Hutchins added people should regularly inspect lawn mowers or other outdoor equipment. He said those who visit the park to camp out will be asked to clean their gear before leaving to prevent the ants from traveling away from the park