Odorous Ant Identification

The workers are about 1/16-1/8″ (2.4-3.25mm)long. Their body is brown to black. They are mono-morphic or all the same size. When crushed they give off a foul odor.

Little is known about the lifespan of the ant, though it has been shown that nests often have many queens can live at least 8 months (and probably much longer), workers at least a few months (and show every indication of living as long as queens), and males appear to live only approximately a week.

The odorous house ant is very tough, and injured workers have been observed to continue living and working with little hindrance. Some queens with crushed abdomens could still lay eggs, and there are documented instances of queens surviving without food or water for over two months. They also appear highly tolerant to hot and cold temperatures. These ants are very resilient.

Habitat

This species is a scavenger/predator ant that will eat most household foods, especially those that contain sugar, and other insects. Indoors they will colonize near heat sources or in insulation. In hot and dry situations, nests have been found in house plants and even in the lids of toilets. Outdoors they tend to colonize under rocks and exposed soil. They appear, however, to form colonies virtually anywhere, in a variety of conditions.

They can trail extensive distances (though their trails are rarely longer than 50 feet), usually along landscape edges. Colonies range in size from 100-10,000, and house several queens (as many as 200, in some instances). They are non-aggressive. While queens can lay as many as 20-30 eggs in single day, they lay only 1-2 (or less) eggs per day on average over long periods of time. Typical time to adult phase of development is 34-38 days. It is believed that queens and male ants are only produced in larger colonies.

Treatment 

Using some of the least toxic and effective products for ant control on the market. Everyday the pest control industry is changing with it new advancements. We pride ourselves on bringing you ant control treatments that exceed industry standards.

Our method of application and choice of products that are the least toxic for your family and pets but eliminates the bug problems. No matter how your home is constructed, where it’s located, or how old it is, it could be invaded by ants. Expansion joints, foundation cracks, and tiny gaps around plumbing are all opportunities for pests to enter your home. It’s a frustrating problem for millions of homeowners. In fact, ants are the number one “nuisance pest” in the U.S. and one that seems to multiply faster by the hour. They enter homes because that’s where the food and water are. Chances are that the ants in your house actually have their nest outside yet travel back and forth for food and water. So, since they live outdoors, it makes sense to control them there. Ant control insecticide is applied to the exterior foundation walls of your house, creating a treated area of protection.