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.