I’ve Got Ants! This Stinks!
When spring arises and the exterior landscapes come alive, so do our pesky little friends, Odorous House Ants.
There are many different types of ants in our area but one of the most annoying and hard to control is the Odorous House Ant. These ants get their name from the odor they give off when crushed. Some people say it resembles a rotten coconut smell. Odorous House ants can be found foraging on exterior walls, across sidewalks, driveways and in mulch beds. On the interior one the most common areas they are seen is near kitchen sinks or other water sources. The house ant will be most active from spring through summer but can be seen any time of year.
When I see ants following a specific trail, what are they doing? When ants find a food source, they release a pheromone to light the path to their buddies. Typically, Odorous House ants are commonly seen foraging for food on the exterior which is also where most nests are located. The nests can be located under debris, in mulch, under stones and in other items in your landscape. Ants forage for food along well traveled trails and may feed on dead insects, sweets, meats and starchy foods. On the exterior one favorite food of the ant is the honeydew produced by feeding aphids and scale insects.
If I’m seeing a lot of ants on the exterior, does that mean they will get inside as well? Just because you have a lot of ants on the outside, it does not mean they will necessarily get inside your structure but many times they do. Ants can get into your structure through small cracks and crevices. We recommend you seal as many of these on the exterior as possible. If you notice the ant trails entering a crack or crevice from the outside, this is most likely the ants foraging for food. The nest of these ants is most likely on the exterior but ants may create satellite colonies which can be located in your home. Wall and floor voids and areas that are warm and moist are places ants tend to build nests. A very common hot-spot for ants is anywhere there may be a portion of the home built over a concrete slab, such as a sun room or garage.
I am seeing ants in my home. What do I do now? Many times ants are seen in the kitchen or by another water source. Best practices in the kitchen consist of proper food storage and waste management. For example, place foodstuff in a sealed container or refrigerator. Rinse all recyclables and/or dishes after use and make sure to clean all surface areas. Many times the contact of soapy water will kill the ant but will have no residual effect. Various home remedies kill the worker ants foraging for food but generally have no effect on the colony as a whole. Therefore, we recommend contacting a Professional Pest Control Company to remedy the situation. Since Odorous House Ants are one of the more difficult to control ant species, they will need multiple applications per year for good control. A Quarterly Pest Control Program is best when trying to rid yourself of these little stinkers!
Greg Tomlinson
Account Manager
Licensed Pest Control Technician
May 13th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
It is indeed ant season. A lot of people also seem to be asking how to get rid of the ant hills that seem to have popped up in their yard/landscape.