Odorous House Ant information and control methods by Isotech Pest Management in the Los Angeles CA Metro Area.

Odorous House Ant

Actual Size: 1/16″ to 1/8″

Characteristics: Small; brown or black. The best identifying characteristic is the “rotten coconut” smell they produce when they are crushed; hence the name.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: The reproductive males and females have wings.

Habitat: Wall voids near water pipes, heaters, leaking fixtures, and damaged wood are all ideal habitats.

Habits:

  • Prefer sweets but will eat almost any household food.
  • Will nest inside structures in wall voids near heat sources.
  • Invades structures during heavy rains when the honeydew of plants is washed away.
Category:

Odorous House Ants in Southern California

Odorous house ants are the most common ants to infest commercial buildings in Southern California. An odorous house ant colony can grow to 100,000 members and new colonies are formed easily. Also referred to as sugar ants, odorous house ants emit a foul smell when crushed. Outdoors, they forage mainly for honeydew, which is produced by aphids. They will invade homes during heavy rains when the honeydew of plants is washed away. Foraging for food twenty-four hours a day, odorous ants prefer sweets and proteins.  

Odorous House Ant Habitats

The odorous house ant can live almost anywhere, thriving outdoors, and indoors. Outdoors, odorous house ants are often found in exposed soil or under stacks of firewood. They most often make their way inside looking for food, which is why they are typically found in commercial kitchens. When they nest, odorous house ants prefer areas with moisture—wall voids near water pipes, heaters, leaking fixtures, and damaged wood are all ideal habitats for them. Cabinets and pantries inside structures are popular locations for these ants. 

Odorous House Ant Behaviors, Threats or Dangers

While odorous house ants do not sting or bite, they contaminate food as they forage indoors, in large numbers. Their ability to feed on all types of food brings them into conflict with us when they contaminate stored pantry products. Colonies contain thousands of members, which makes them difficult to eliminate. Worker ants and scout ants seek out food to provide for the queen, leaving an invisible scent trail from the food source back to their nest site. When worker ants follow the scent or pheromone trail to the food source in a building, they invade structures in large numbers. If an odorous house ant issue is suspected, it is best to contact a professional ant exterminator.

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