Odorous House Ant Identification & Behavior

Odorous House Ant

Category: Ants

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:

Will nest inside homes in wall voids near heat sources.
They prefer sweets but will eat almost any household food.
They invade structures during heavy rains when the honeydew of plants is washed away.

Odorous House Ants in SE Louisiana and Mississippi

Odorous house ants are the most common ants to infest homes. An odorous house ant colony can grow to 100,000 members and new colonies are formed easily. Also referred to as sugar ants, stink ants or coconut 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 night and 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. Often making their way inside looking for food, odorous ants are typically found in 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 homes are popular locations for these ants.

Odorous House Ant Behaviors, Threats or Dangers

Odorous house ants do not sting or bite, however, they contaminate food as they forage indoors, in large numbers. Their ability to feed on all types of food brings these ants into conflict with us when they contaminate stored pantry products. Colonies contain thousands of members, which makes their elimination so difficult. 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 home or building, they invade homes in large numbers. If an odorous house ant issue is suspected, it is best to contact a licensed ant exterminator.

Don’t wait until your home is overrun by ants. Contact Presto-X “Formerly Fischer” today!