Making picnics end quicker than they start, ants commonly invade homes and businesses. There are very little few who can say they do not know what an ant is, as widespread and numerous the various species of ants are. When they feel threatened, many ant species will aggressively defend their territory and deliver little pinches. Usually, once the ants intrude into homes and businesses little is effective to eliminate these little critters besides professional pest control. Today, we at A-Tex Pest Management would like to take the opportunity to discuss odorous ants since these ants are among the common few.
How Do I Know if My Home has Odorous House Ants?
Making them one of the smaller ant species, odorous ants, or sometimes referred to as Odorous House Ants, only measure up to 1/8-inch-long. By their abdomens, they are typically dark brown or black in color and feature one node on their petiole that is hidden. People will also note that the odorous ant has unevenly shaped thorax if it is studied on its side. The primary reason they are known as odorous ants, and their most distinct characteristic, is the odor of rotten coconuts they emit when they get crushed.
What Attracts Odorous House Ants?
Once inside, odorous ants frequently nest in the floor or wall voids. In search for food, particularly sweets and meats, these ants often wonder inside Texas homes and businesses. Along the windows and doors, they can easy slip through cracks in the foundation or large enough fractures. Odorous ants are drawn to the kitchen pantries and cabinets because of their preference for warm and moist climates. Beneath floors in wall crevices, near heaters and water pipes, or sometimes behind paneling and under the carpets, odorous ants will also hunker down. Odorous ants will build their nests outdoor under shallow soil beneath things such as logs, rocks, mulch, and debris.
Are Odorous House Ants Dangerous?
Odorous ants contaminate any food they come into contact with and they will bite should they feel at all threatened when they invade your kitchen. Being one of the more resistant to eliminate, odorous ants are one of the most likely ants to infest homes. Their presence can be more than a nuisance though they’re not known to bite.
Signs of an Odorous House Ant Infestation
To retrieve food is the obvious signs of an infestation, seeing the winged swarmers active and observing the worker’s march. They favor pastries, eat meats, cooked or raw vegetables and fruit juices, sugary foods, and even dairy products, in addition odorous ants prefer honeydew from aphids and mealybug in their diet. Being continually active through the day and night, these ants forage 24/7. Worker odorous ants will move in quick, erratic motions, raising their abdomens into the air when they are alarmed by predators or other potential threats.
Ant Pest Inspections, Treatment, Control, Removal & More in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park Texas
It is essential to contact A-Tex Pest Management as they can be a challenge to eliminate on your own should you notice odorous ants infesting your Greater Austin, TX home or business. We can ensure the ant colony is efficiently eliminated with our proven and effective methods and products. To dispatch any infestations or to setup a plan of defense to avoid them, call us today.
