What are odorous house ants?
One of the most common household pests in the U.S. is the ant and one of the most common ant species to invade our homes is the odorous house ant. These ants are native to the United States and have learned to live in areas populated with people, homes, and businesses.
These ants are small, just one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch long, with black or brown bodies. An odorous house ant looks like any typical ant, so the best way to identify them from other species is by smell. These ants produce a foul-smelling odor that smells like rotten coconuts after being crushed that is unpleasant and quite overpowering.
Are odorous house ants dangerous?
Though odorous house ants are unpleasant when living in or around your home, they aren’t dangerous. Like most of the ants that invade our properties, odorous house ants are nuisance pests. They aren’t known to spread harmful diseases, and they don’t cause structural damage. Even though they aren’t dangerous, they shouldn’t be allowed to move in and out of our homes at will. As ants travel, they contaminate surfaces and food in our homes with the bacteria they carry on their body and legs.
Why do I have a odorous house ant problem?
Moisture and food attract odorous house ants to our properties. Ants have a good sense of smell, and things like open trash cans, recycling bins, compost, pet food, and outdoor eating areas often draw ants into a yard.
While foraging for food or if they need to escape unsuitable weather, odorous house ants move into structures through cracks they discover in the foundation, spaces under doors or around windows, or along wires and pipes entering your house.
Since moisture attracts odorous house ants, their presence often indicates an underlying moisture problem like leaking pipes or poor ventilation.
Where will I find odorous house ants?
Dark, damp areas in our yards are places that odorous house ants like to create their nests. The ground under mulch, woodpiles, logs, fallen trees, or rock piles are often taken advantage of by odorous house ants.
Indoors these ants will nest behind wall voids or under floors near things like pipes, sinks, tubs, heaters, and air conditioners. They also like to nest in pieces of wood damaged by termites or carpenter ants.
How do I get rid of odorous house ants?
Dedicated to providing our residential and commercial customers with effective pest control solutions, Evolve Pest Control will solve all of your Texas, Nevada, or St. George, Utah property’s pest problems. We understand how frustrating it is to deal with ants and how difficult it can be to keep them at bay.
Our experienced service technicians perform thorough inspections and advanced treatments to eliminate pests and prevent them from returning. Our goal is to offer our customers high-quality, affordable, and eco-friendly services in order to provide them with a pest-free home or business. To learn more about our ant control solutions or to request your free quote and get started with your service, contact Evolve Pest Control today!
How can I prevent odorous house ants in the future?
In addition to our professional services, the following tips will help to keep odorous house ants off your property:
- Seal openings in your foundation and exterior walls to keep wandering odorous house ants out.
- Seal spaces around utilities that are entering your house that these ants could travel along.
- Use a dehumidifier to keep moisture levels in your home low.
- Make sure to ventilate your basement or crawl space properly.
- Fix leaking pipes and fixtures.
- Rake back leaves and mulch from your foundation.
- Do not store wood or other construction materials near your home’s exterior.
- Place tight-fitting lids on all trash cans and compost bins.
