How To Kill Rasberry Tawny Crazy Ants

Rasberry ants or tawny crazy ants (named for their erratic travel routes), are an invasive ant species that can damage control boxes, electronics and wildlife. Rasberry ants form large colonies.

Standard over-the-counter ant control products do little to stop an infestation, requiring the services of a professional exterminator. In addition to professionally applied insecticides, you can take specific steps to protect your home and electronic devices from these pests.

Crazy Tawny Ants

As a relatively new invasive ant species discovered in Texas in 2002, the ant is named after its discoverer, Tom Rasberry. The ants are believed to have shown up in Texas due to people accidentally assisting them.

The reddish brown 1/8-inch long ant occurs in large numbers and forages long distances away from their nests, making parasitic diseases difficult to control. The rasberry ant is not native to the United States and is believed to have originated in either Southeast Asia or from the Pacific islands over Australia.

Rasberry Ant Habitat

The Rasberry ant is often found nesting outside, but also foraging inside warehouses, garbage cans, well houses, around irrigation equipment or near your home. Omnivorous creatures, crazy ants eat most everything including insulation around wiring.

Ant colonies can be found under rocks, piles of debris and rotten wood or in the ground. The highly adaptable ant can nest in a variety of locations and is found in both dry and humid environments with computers at home, electrical switchboards, gas meters and other electronics favorite nesting grounds.

Rasberry Ants and Electronics

Although not really known why, the rasberry ant belongs to several ants that feel attracted to electronics. Large numbers of ants have been known to accumulate in electrical equipment chewing on wire insulation that exposes live wires and become items to short circuit. When an ant is shocked by a live wire, it releases a chemical pheromone that attracts other ants.

Large numbers of ants then clog up switching mechanisms and form a build-up of dead working ants which causes further damage to electronics. Turn off electronics when not in use so their heat does not attract ants.

Seal smaller electronics in plastic bags that are sealed or other airtight plastic containers to prevent the ants from getting into zip. Avoid eating on your computer and make it a habit your to wash hands after eating and before touching your keyboard.

Effective Control

Remove possible nested areas around the outside of the house, such as fallen limbs and yard debris and eliminate their food source by cleaning up spills and sealing food points to protect your home. Professional application of contact insecticides creates a temporary buffer zone.

Consistently clear away dead ants without disturbing the insecticide so the contact poison can continue to work. To remain effective, reapply insecticides every to to three months. Install outside electrical control boxes in branded nylon seals to protect sensitive circuitry inside. Use caulking or silicone to seal all post holes. Set enclosed bait stations near outside electronics to leave ants.