Occasionally, you may find yourself in the situation other Greenville homeowners face. What could this situation be? Odorous house ants on your property, of course! Odorous house ants are small ants (typically only up to ⅛ of an inch in length), are dark brown or black in color, and they give off a foul, rotten coconut odor when squished. These tiny insects can create many issues once they get inside, so understanding what attracts them to your property is important.
What attracts odorous house ants?
There are many reasons odorous house ants get into Greenville homes, but only a few reasons they stick around. The most common reasons these small insects invade is for food and water. Odorous house ants might also invade if there has been heavy rainfall, as this could flood their nests. Like many other insects, odorous house ants are attracted to moisture, which means any foliage or shade that allows moisture to build up around your property could be attracting these ants to your home.
Do odorous house ants cause problems?
While some insects that invade Greenville properties, such as wasps or termites, are dangerous pests, odorous house ants are only nuisance pests. There have been no studies that show odorous house ants transmitting serious diseases, and their jaws are not strong enough to puncture human skin. But these annoying ants are capable of creating nests in wall voids, under foundations, and in other hidden areas. This can make them difficult to locate and eradicate without professional help. Additionally, if odorous house ants make it into your pantry and food-storage locations, you could find yourself with contaminated food items that must be thrown out.
Odorous House Ant Prevention
If odorous house ants have invaded your Greenville home, it’s important to contact a professional pest control provider right away. However, there are things you can do to avoid attracting these pests to your property and/or into your home.
- Seal cracks or crevices along your exterior walls, foundation, windows, and doors with a caulking gun.
- Keep grass, weeds, shrubs, and other vegetation trimmed to prevent them from directly touching your exterior walls
- Remove sticks, wood piles, bricks, and other debris that may provide a sheltered area for odorous house ants to build their nests.
- Keep moisture from building up around your property by clearing your gutter system and repairing leaks.
- Store food items in plastic containers or in the fridge or freezer.
- Sweep floors and cleans counters regularly.
If you want to avoid the stress of odorous house ants, enlist the help of the pest technicians here at Spencer Pest Services. We offer year-round residential pest control for Greenville residents so your home can be pest-free year-round! Contact Spencer Pest Services today to learn more about our effective year-round pest protection programs!