Ants are a Nuisance & Can Cause Injury & Property Damage

Ants top the list of the pests that are commonly infesting homes and businesses.  More often than not, they are discovered in the kitchen, thieving any food they can get.  Instinct compels people to grab the first kitchen cleaning chemical they can reach and spray furiously at the line of marching ants.  Once the corpses are dealt with, the victor goes about their business, only to see the line of marching ants once again within a few hours or days. Being that many different species of ants can easily have hundreds or thousands of members in the colony, it is really not hard to fathom the return of these ants to forage promised food.  To ensure ants in general are effectively removed from homes and businesses, it often takes a skilled professional armed with expertise and quality products.  Not only are ants an annoyance, but most can deliver painful stings in an effort to protect the colony, nest, and most importantly, the queen. Among the variety of ants common to Virginia, Odorous Ants are fairly common. At this time, we at Eagle Pest Services would like to share some basic information concerning odorous ants.

Odorous House Ant Identification

Scientifically, odorous ants are called Tapinoma Sessile and a native species of the United States, thus found in a majority of the states.  They are referred to as odorous ants due to the pungency of being crushed; the foul stench of rotten coconuts emits from their bodies.  Odorous ants are often mistaken for pavement ants, but one of the distinctions is that they only have one node.  With 12-segmented antennae and ranging in color from brown to black, odorous ant workers average 1/8” long. Once hatched, it only takes 24 days for an ant to reach adulthood.  Odorous ant colonies can have anywhere from 100 to 10,000 members in it.  The number fluctuates because other ant species frequently invade their nests, causing them to be driven out.

Where Do Odorous House Ants Live & Nest?

Foraging for food both day and night, odorous ants work around the clock.  Their nests can be found in a variety of locations.  If they have infested a home, they will generally construct their nests around hot water pipes and heaters, but they will also do so in crevices, sinks, cupboards, and wall voids.  When the odorous are outdoors, they will typically build up their nests in shallow soil under safety barriers such as boards, bricks, stone walk, and other such sturdy objects.  If odorous ants infiltrate buildings, it is likely the cause of extreme weather that depletes much of the food source, preferring honeydew or sweet offerings, and they hunt for sugary food replacement.

Ant Control

Being omnivorous, odorous ants will feed on a number of selections such as plant secretions, seeds, and different insects although they favor the sweeter options.  Aphids, mealy bugs, and other scale insects that excrete honeydew are often protected by odorous ants and they will even tuck them away in their nests for extra protection due to their fondness of sweets.  Like most ants, odorous ants will leave behind a chemical trail of pheromones between their nests and potential food source, for the workers can get back and forth with ease.  Many professionals are able to use this habit to their advantage.  Odorous ants can be a challenge to remove from the home or business, but with the specialists of Eagle Pest Services, odorous ants can be easily removed. Call us today if you have an odorous ant or any other kind of ant infestation.