What do odorous house ants look like?
It is probably more likely that you will distinguish these ants, from other ants by their smell, rather than their appearance. Odorous house ants give off a very potent, foul-smelling odor when they are crushed; many people describe it similar to rotting coconut. Adults are dark brown to black in color; they are a small species adults grow to about 1/8th of an inch in length. The only other distinguishing feature of this ant is that when looked at from the side their thorax is uneven in shape.
Are odorous house ants dangerous?
Odorous house ants are considered to be a nuisance pest. This species of ant pose no significant health risk to people or pets and they aren’t known to sting or bite. These ants do have the ability to invade your home in large numbers, becoming an annoyance, and contaminating food sources.
Why are odorous house ants in my home?
Odorous house ants typically find their way inside of homes and other buildings through small cracks, crevices and openings that they come across as they are foraging for food and water. They may also make their way inside if the environment they are living in outside becomes over-saturated with water during periods of heavy rain.
How do you get rid of odorous house ants?
Odorous house ants can enter into homes in very large numbers; and hiding and nesting in the very hard to reach areas of your home, making finding and eliminating all of them from your home a very tricky task. At Spencer Pest Services we can get rid of odorous house ants from your property through our year-round residential pest control packages. Our pest control professionals have the experience and training needed to eliminate and control odorous house ants in your home and prevent future problems with them. Contact us today for more information about our odorous house ant control services.
Odorous house ants prevention tips
Along with putting into place a year-round pest control program, there are several things you can do in and around your home to prevent problems with odorous house ants. Prevention tips include:
- Make sure that outdoor trash cans are also stored away from the outside of your home and that they have tight fitting or locking lids to keep out foraging ants.
- Trim back trees, bushes, and shrubs away from the outside of your home.
- Seal cracks and crevices found in your home’s foundation.
- Seal the spaces found around utilities entering into your home.
- Install door sweeps underneath all exterior doors and caulk any gaps found around all windows and doors.
- Inside your home routinely wash dirty dishes, quickly clean up spills and crumbs, and store food in the refrigerator or in sealed containers.
