Home >> Science & Nature >> Insects & Science

How to Treat for Raspberry Ants

Raspberry ants are social ants that live in colonies or groups of colonies containing many queens. They are an invasive species found throughout Texas and are often referred to as the crazy ant because of their random movement. Raspberry ants like to nest in the soil beneath landscape timbers, mulch, patios and porches. They can deliver painful bites that can cause itching, swelling and even anaphylactic shock in sensitive individuals. If you discover raspberry ants in your home or yard, treat them immediately for the safety of your family.

Things You'll Need

Garden sprayer
Insecticide
Vinegar
Spray bottle
Caulk
Weather stripping
Catnip or peppermint plants

Instructions

- 1
  Inspect your property carefully and locate all raspberry ant nests. Fill a garden sprayer with a low-toxicity insecticide and drench all of the ant beds you see. Repeat treatment in early spring and in late summer.
- 2
  Fill a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and water to kill indoor raspberry ants. Spray along baseboards, around appliances, in closets, and in lower cabinets. The vinegar will kill any visible ants and repel ants in the future.
- 3
  Prevent raspberry ants from entering your home. Caulk exterior openings in your homes foundation and use weather stripping around doors and windows to eliminate voids where ants can enter.
- 4
  Keep vegetation, shrubs and bushes trimmed away from your home's foundation. Raspberry ants can use these plants to climb up to windows and cracks to gain entrance to the inside of your home.
- 5
  Plant some catnip or peppermint around your home and lawn. The ants do not like the strong smell of these plants and will stay away.

Insects & Science