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• Odorous House Ant

Tapinoma sessile

Native to North America and found throughout much of southern Canada and as far south as Mexico, odorous house ants are about 1/16-1/8" (2.4-3.25 mm) in size. They are brown to black in color and have antenna with 12 segments. They are often referred to as sugar ants. They are a nuisance, but not a structural damaging insect, nor are they a hazard to humans.

Females in the nest lay one egg daily. On the average, the young odorous house ant reaches adulthood within 24 days. Nest colonies can contain up to 100,000 ants with many queens and can be located almost anywhere. Outdoors they make shallow soil nests under any material on the ground (such as stone walks, bricks, etc), within hollow trees, or in any other available cavity. They are also attracted to high moisture areas. Indoors they typically nest in wall voids, under insulation in crawl spaces, or within cavities in the wood.

Odorous house ants have a wide variety diet and can feed on almost anything. They are extremely drawn to honeydew (aphid excrement) and are most likely to enter a structure once their supply of honeydew is eliminated such as during rainy weather or with leaf fall in the autumn months. Once inside a structure, their diet can include pet food, dairy, sugar sources or protein products.

Odorous house ants have been known to invade entire neighborhoods and are driven by pheromone trails. They are usually seen following each other as if marching in a parade line (following the pheromone trail to a food source). When inspecting indoors for odorous house ants, pay close attention to baseboards, edges of carpets and window sills. When inspecting these areas, once an ant trail is located, follow it back to their nest or exterior wall where they might have entered. Correct moisture problem areas such as roof and plumbing leaks. Cut back tree limbs or branches that could serve as a bridge for the ants to your structure. Seal cracks and openings around the foundation, paying particular attention to areas where utility pipes and wires enter your home from the outside. Firewood should be stacked away from the home and elevated off the ground if possible.

For minor sightings, ant bait and gel products available at your local hardware store may help. If populations remain in excess a call to Long Pest Control can develop an Integrated Pest Control program to eliminate the sightings and provide an environment free of unwanted ground crawling insects year round.