Odorous House Ant

The Odorous House Ant workers are about 1/16" to 1/8" long while the queens range from 1/8" to 1/4" long. Their bodies are brown to black.

These ants got their name from the "rotten coconut" smell that emits from their bodies when they are crushed. Odorous house ants are omnivorous, which means they feed upon other insects as well as grains. Their primary food is honeydew. Honeydew is produced by aphids and other sap-sucking insects. For the honeydew the ants protect the aphids from any predators that tries to eat them.

They nest in moist soil and forage along trails. When weather conditions change or honeydew production drops they can enter homes.

The Odorous house ants swarm during the spring time, which means new queens and males take to the skies in search of starting new colonies. This is why they are often confused with swarming subterranean termites. The queens will generally be much larger than the male swarmers.

An exterior treatment with TERMIDOR of your home will quickly control this ant. Should they become a problem in the home, an inside treatment may be necessary.

For long term control every other month or quarterly service is needed.