Ants
Odorous House Ant
| Appearance |
|---|
 Brown; about 1/8 inch long. |
| Habitat |
| Odorous house ants nest in soil, often under objects such as loose bark, firewood, or lumber. Indoors, they nest in wall voids, especially around hot-water pipes and heaters, and in crevices around sinks and cupboards. This species gets its name from the strong, rotten coconut-like smell it emits when crushed. Odorous house ants may develop huge colonies containing up to 100,000 ants with many queens, making professional ant control imperative. They are not aggressive toward other colonies, so multiple nests may be within one structure. |
| Diet |
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Odorous house ants prefer to feed outdoors on organic materials. When indoors, they favor sweets during most of the warm season, especially melon, but will also eat high-protein food, greasy meat, and cheese.
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| Control |
| The key to odorous house ant control is locating the colonies and sub-colonies and treating them directly. Colonies can be difficult to find because they often nest in crawl spaces and wall voids. Regular inspections and services are necessary to detect and treat new colonies as they move from neighboring properties. Eliminating standing water and removing tree limbs and debris from your yard can also help prevent odorous house ants. |
