Pest Control Community

The warm weather gets all plants and animals growing and moving in the spring of the year.  Ants are no exception and it seems that in recent years ants have risen to be the number one household pest in the mid-Atlantic region.  To most, an ant is an ant is an ant.  In reality there are several different species that enter homes and become pests.  The one species that bothers most homeowners to the point that they make the call to us for help is the Odorous House Ants.

Odorous House Ants are so named because the ants emit what’s been described as a rotten coconut or pine scent when crushed with a finger and sniffed.

Odorous house ants will nest in virtually every imaginable location. They commonly nest outdoors under pavement, stones, mulch, woodpiles, flower pots, and house siding, foraging indoors for food and moisture. Nests also occur indoors within wall cavities, appliances, potted plants, etc., especially near sources of moisture. The nests tend to be mobile; colonies relocate fast and often in response to changes in weather and disturbance.  This behavior explains why they might suddenly appear after a period of intense rainfall or after a few weeks of drought conditions.

This particular ant is difficult to control, especially by householders. The better baits to try are sweet baits.  As with all ants, activity indoors can sometimes be reduced by removing ready access to food and moisture (water leaks, spillage, trash cans, pet food dishes, etc). Temporary relief can sometimes be had by wiping away the invisible odor trails with a kitchen cleanser or mild detergent. Do not disturb foraging trails, however, if you are using bait. Caulking obvious ant entry points also may be helpful, along with trimming back shrubs and limbs touching the building. In nature, this ant feeds extensively on plant nectar and honeydew excreted by plant-sucking insects such as aphids.

If you are suddenly inundated with hordes of small brown ants (1/8^th inch, 3 mm long), the chances are that the Odorous House Ant has found something to its liking in your house.

TAGS: Odorous House Ant, bait, outdoor nests, indoor nests