Odorous house ants are tiny, measuring between 1/16 and 1/8 of an inch in length, and are dark brown to black. Since they aren’t the only tiny, dark ants in Florida, you’ll need more clues to identify them. Read on for more helpful tips.
These ants get their name from the strong smell they release when crushed. Some describe it as musty, while others say it smells like rotten coconut. To test if you have odorous house ants, put on gloves, crush one, and take a sniff. If you detect a sickly sweet odor, you’re likely dealing with odorous house ants.
They don’t bite or sting, but they can still cause problems. Odorous house ants crawl through dirty areas like trash bins and dumpsters, picking up bacteria. When they reach your kitchen counters, dishes, and stored food, they can spread germs.
Odorous house ants prefer warm, humid environments and can nest outdoors and indoors.
Like all ants, odorous house ants send scouts to search for food and water. If a scout finds either, it leaves a pheromone trail leading back to the nest. Soon, more workers follow the scent, entering your home to search for resources. If conditions inside are ideal—or if outdoor conditions worsen—they may establish a nest indoors.
Seeing odorous house ants is the most obvious sign of an infestation. If you don’t spot them immediately, you might smell them first. Crushing a few by accident—like stepping on them—can release their signature rotten coconut-like odor.
DIY ant control is tough with this species because of their habits. They can resist common store-bought treatments and may develop bait aversion if they sense a food source is unsafe. Worse, partial success with baits can lead to colony budding, where a single nest splits into multiple new colonies. Usually, these ants reproduce faster than DIY treatments can eliminate them.
Professional pest control is the most effective solution. At Anti-Pesto Bug Killers, our experts track down ant colonies and apply proven treatments to stop the activity. Contact us for reliable ant control in the Tampa Bay area.
Preventing odorous house ants requires ongoing effort, including:
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Largo, FL
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Largo, FL
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Tampa, FL
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