Members of the odorous ant species are tiny, making it easy for them to slip through cracks and gaps that are so small that homeowners may not even see them. To the ants, these openings are a clear invitation to come indoors. The ants may do so in large numbers, most frequently looking for food, but they also may hope to establish a nest.
Odorous ant infestations are common throughout the Feasterville area. Homes and businesses may deal with the same issue year after year, believing it to be as inevitable as the change of seasons, not knowing that it is actually possible to put an end to odorous ant problems if appropriate steps are taken. This means that it is not necessary to be plagued by lines of worker ants every year.
Unfortunately, many may have given up on their fight against odorous ants. In other years, they used insect sprays in an attempt to control the problem, but it did not seem to help much. Accordingly, they decide that odorous ants are something that they just have to live with.
The problem with insect sprays and similar treatments is that they do not go far enough. While they may be effective at killing individual ants that come into direct contact with the spray, such treatments generally do not get carried back to the nest where they can do the most harm.
This is why exterminators are indispensable for dealing with odorous ant infestations. These licensed professionals identify the ant species and locate the nest so that they can be certain of its destruction. With the openings in the home sealed up, it is possible to prevent future pest problems as well.
WHAT DO
ODOROUS
ANTS LOOK LIKE?
When people see ants crawling about indoors, they are probably members of the worker class in the odorous ant colony. Approximately one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch long, the workers are tiny but determined as they use their powerful sense of smell to locate food. Brown and black are typical colors, and exterminators may make a definitive identification based upon the flat node that connects the thorax with the abdomen.
However, one of the odorous ant's most distinctive features is its smell. These ants have a rotting coconut smell that is given off when they are crushed. Dead ants in the nest also emit this odor, and if the nest is located somewhere inside the house, the smell is impossible to ignore.
WHERE DO
ODOROUS
ANTS LIVE?
While certain ant species will only nest in one type of habitat, the odorous ant species tends to be more adaptable. Both indoor and outdoor nesting sites are acceptable to these ants, which means that nests may be found in loose soil or within garden mulch or a woodpile. Stacks of rocks or lumber are other likely nesting spots.
Indoor nests may be located almost anywhere in the home, but the most likely locations are those in which there has been a water leak or where condensation issues are present. Extra dampness and humidity is critical to the colony's success. Any home or business that has damaged wood or has an ongoing water leak is highly susceptible to hosting an odorous ant nest.
WHAT DO
ODOROUS
ANTS EAT?
Odorous ants prefer sweet foods, with their favorite being the honeydew that aphids, mealybugs and other root-feeding insects produce. Huge populations of these bugs in the spring and summer make survival easy for odorous ants, but things change when fall arrives and temperatures drop.
Accordingly, fall is the most likely time to find odorous ants, though they certainly may invade during the summer as well. They target any sweet foods like fruits, sugar and baked goods. However, like other ant species, odorous ants eat protein too. Meat and pet food are favorites, but people also may find odorous ants showing interest in dairy products and grains.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY
ODOROUS
ANTS
Some odorous ant infestations cause little or no property damage. This is especially true in places where the colony maintains an outdoor nest that does not interfere with fencing, decking or outdoor furniture.
However, members of the species are on the lookout for damaged wood either indoors or out that could serve as a nest. If this type of damage is located, the colony will begin excavating, exacerbating the issue.
ARE
ODOROUS
ANTS AGGRESSIVE?
Odorous ants form huge colonies that must be fed, making foraging a constant problem. This alone can make the species seem aggressive to people. Odorous ants are capable of biting, but such wounds are small and rarely painful or problematic.
DO
ODOROUS
ANTS CARRY DISEASE?
Odorous ants look for food in a wide variety of filthy places like drains, garbage cans and sewers. Foraging also may take them into kitchens and pantries where contaminants easily are re-deposited. Eating contaminated food or using contaminated food-preparation surfaces are two ways that odorous ants cause food poisoning in many households. Stringent disinfection practices are recommended for preventing such illnesses.
HOW TO DETECT
ODOROUS
ANTS
Signs of an odorous ant problem include:
• Ants that are stepped on smell like rotting coconut • People notice a rotting coconut smell somewhere in the house • People see ants in the kitchen or pantry • Ants congregate around a gap or other small opening in the building's exterior
HOW TO PREVENT ANTS
To help prevent odorous ant issues the following steps should be taken:
• Ensure that gutters and downspouts are clear • Cover up holes and gaps in the building's exterior • Replace damaged wood • Repair water leaks -Place yard debris and wood piles 20 feet away from structures • Trim plants and trees to prevent contact with the house • Keep kitchen surfaces free of crumbs and spills -Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink
HOW WE TREAT FOR ANTS
Ants are the number one pest control issue and can prove virtually impossible for home and business owners to solve on their own. Ending an ant infestation typically requires proper ant identification, locating and destroying the nest or colony, as well as the use and application of specialized products.
As such, it is not advisable for property owners to attempt to eradicate an ant infestation without assistance from a professional pest control provider.
