Odorous House Ants
- Very small 1/8th inch long
- Smell like rotten coconut when crushed
- Very numerous (upwards of 100,000)
- Forage day and night
Odorous
house ants are small ants about 1/8th inch long and dark brown in color.
Their name comes from the disagreeable odor similar to the smell of rotten
coconuts, which is given off when the worker ants are crushed.
Odorous house ants commonly nest outdoors in the soil under
stones, logs, mulch, debris and other items. They will also nest indoors
in wall and floor voids, particularly in moist or warm areas. If only
a few workers (wingless ants) are observed in the house it is an indication
that they are nesting outdoors and entering the house in search of food.
If winged swarmers are found indoors, or if workers are consistently
seen in great abundance, it likely indicates they are nesting within
the house.
Odorous
house ants regularly forage for food along well-traveled trails. They feed
on dead insects, sweets and meats. One of their favorite foods is the sweet
honeydew produced by plant sap feeding insects such as aphids.
Control of odorous house ants should begin with an attempt
to locate the origin of the ants. Often they are trailing indoors from
outdoors in which case the entry point can be treated and sealed. When
possible we treat the nest directly. It may be necessary to use a professional
bait product that mimics their preferred food source as an attractant.
This is especially true if the nest is hidden indoors or outdoors. Selecting
the bait most similar to what they are foraging for at the time is critical.