Too many Levittown area property owners resign themselves to a constant and never-ending battle with odorous ants. This species comes inside looking for food, water and perhaps shelter, but it is possible to take steps to keep them outdoors where they belong.
Odorous ant infestations are not inevitable. In fact, licensed exterminators are trained in a variety of methods that are intended to make buildings pest proof. They look for the tiny gaps and fissures that look like open invitations to pests like odorous ants. Eliminating these weaknesses is one of the primary goals of the pest management professional.
Additionally, exterminators use techniques that destroy the ants and their nest. Perhaps most critically, these techniques also kill the colony's queen. The queen resides deep within the nest where she is difficult to reach. Reproducing in massive numbers, the colony will continue to grow as long as she lives. Fortunately, exterminators can use methods that reach deep into the odorous ant nest to kill the queen.
People are most likely to see odorous ants in areas where food is regularly stored or consumed. Additionally, any portions of a building that are frequently damp, have condensation problems or a water leak may attract odorous ants. Changes to food storage practices, improvements to cleanup after eating and correcting moisture problems all may help to prevent infestations of odorous ants and other pests.
WHAT DO
ODOROUS
ANTS LOOK LIKE?
Each member of the odorous ant colony has specific responsibilities to fulfill. Workers are the individuals that travel from the nest seeking food and water to be carried back to other colony members, including the queen and her young. Consequently, it is the workers that people are most likely to see.
Identifying odorous ant workers is not easy given their small size and either black or brown coloration. Like other common ant species, these workers measure approximately one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch when fully grown. This makes it hard to see any distinguishing characteristics.
Under magnification, it is possible to see a flat node connecting the thorax and the abdomen of these ants. Nonetheless, it is far easier to identify this pest by its scent. Many people find that odorous ant infestations are accompanied by the unmistakable smell of rotting coconut. Large infestations can cause odor problems in entire rooms or more than one room. This is one of the most noticeable and troubling aspects of an odorous ant infestation.
WHERE DO
ODOROUS
ANTS LIVE?
Odorous ant colonies derive enormous benefits from the fact that they do not require a specific nesting habitat. This means that they are just as much at home in man-made structures as they are in nature.
Woodpiles, stacks of rocks or an expanse of exposed soil all may serve as nesting habitat, and the choices indoors are similarly varied. Nests may be discovered beneath major appliances or heavy equipment that is seldom moved. Odorous ants do like a certain level of humidity, which may lead them to nest in bathrooms or other spaces that frequently are damp. Rooms that have condensation problems or where a water leak has occurred are particularly vulnerable. These ants will nest in wood, especially if it has been damaged by water or a prior pest infestation.
WHAT DO
ODOROUS
ANTS EAT?
Much of the sustenance that an odorous ant colony requires is obtained underground. This is because honeydew is a staple food of this ant's diet. Honeydew is produced by insects that mainly live underground and eat the roots of certain plants.
During the summer, insect populations are at their peak. This means that odorous ants have no problem feeding a colony almost solely on honeydew. Insect population declines in the fall, causing odorous ants to look elsewhere.
Kitchens, cafeterias, pantries and anywhere else that food is kept or eaten may attract odorous ants. Food with high-sugar content likely will be targeted first. However, odorous ants also need protein. This substance may be obtained by eating other insects or meat products and pet food.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY
ODOROUS
ANTS
When odorous ants build a nest next to or within a building, problems may ensue. Damage to wood that is unfinished or is already beginning to decay can become more severe as the ants tunnel in to increase their living space.
Property owners who are aware of any damaged or unpainted wood on or in the building may want to take steps to repair, replace or remove this wood. Doing so may protect the structure from sustaining greater damage caused by odorous ants, termites or other pests.
ARE
ODOROUS
ANTS AGGRESSIVE?
Like many ant species, worker odorous ants are laser-focused on foraging for food and water, both of which tasks frequently may be accomplished without ever venturing above the ground's surface. These ants do see people as a threat, and this mainly underground lifestyle protects them.
While they can bite people if provoked or mishandled, such occurrences are rare. Still, there may be other reasons to be concerned about an odorous ant infestation.
DO
ODOROUS
ANTS CARRY DISEASE?
An infestation of odorous ants does have the potential to make people ill. Fortunately, these sicknesses rarely are serious although they can be quite unpleasant. Odorous ants must feed a large colony, and workers have powerful senses of smell that can lead them to even the faintest traces of edible materials. Bits of food may be obtained from garbage cans, a drain or the sewer. Still following their keen sense of smell, the workers next may travel to an indoor space where food is prepared or eaten. When they gain access to food, this food instantly is contaminated with bacteria and other contaminants. Consequently, reports of food poisoning cases may rise when odorous ants are infesting a building.
HOW TO DETECT
ODOROUS
ANTS
Signs of an odorous ant infestation include:
• The scent of rotting coconut detected anywhere in a building • Ants clustering in areas where food is stored • A gap on the building's exterior is crowded with black ants
HOW TO PREVENT
ODOROUS
ANTS
To help prevent odorous ant control the following steps should be taken:
• See that any wood that is water damaged or rotting is replaced • Pile lumber, firewood and yard debris well away from structures • Trim trees and bushes to prevent contact with buildings • Cart away any unused wood on the property • Repair water leaks • Keep gutters and downspouts clear • Use thorough cleaning practices in kitchens and dining areas • Cover or seal openings in the building's exterior
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.
