Odorous House Ant ID Summary
Odorous house ants are small brown-to-black ants that often invade Virginia homes in long trails, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. The best way to identify them is when crushed, they can give off a strong “rotten coconut” odor. They usually nest outdoors in damp areas (under mulch, stones, or logs), but they can also nest in wall voids if there’s moisture. They’re mainly a nuisance pest, not one that causes damage or is a danger to humans.
- Body Size: “1/16th to 1/8”
- Common Characteristics: Small; brown or black in color. An oval bodied shape and give off a rotten odor when crushed.
- Number of Legs: 6
- Wings: Reproductive males and females have wings when swarming.
- Habitat: Very interested in moisture and can live almost anywhere. Outdoors you find them in soil and under wood. Will forage inside near water pipes, heaters, leaking fixtures, and water damaged wood.
Introduction to Odorous House Ants
Odorous House Ants are found throughout Virginia and can build large colonies with multiple queens. Because they have multiple queens, sometimes the queens will split off and form sub-colonies, making an infestation very difficult to control and eliminate. The ants are unique because when alarmed an ant will alert the rest of the workers. At this time, all the workers will run around erratically and raise their abdomens above their heads. These ants are sometimes confused for pavement ants due to their look and nature, but their odor distinguishes them from other ant species. When crushed, people describe the smell as being like a rotten coconut.
Odorous House Ant Life Cycle and Habitat
Odorous House Ants are much like other ant species in VA. They have a common social structure with multiple queens instead of one. Because the colony has multiple queens and sub-colonies, they can thrive indoors and outdoors on your property. They will live in soil, mulch, debris, under stones, under logs, in your walls, pantries, cupboards, and wall/floor cracks. The ants are considered sugar ants, meaning they forage for honeydew produced by Aphids, but will invade your home seeking food.
Damage & Dangers
Odorous House Ants don’t bite or sting but can pose an indirect threat to humans. When they forage for food, a single ant will leave a scent trail the rest of the workers can follow, leading large numbers into your home. The sheer numbers can alarm homeowners and be a nuisance, but the real danger is how the ants contaminate food items. If you suspect your property has an Odorous Ant problem, we recommend calling your local pest control service.
Think You Might Have Odorous House Ants?
Contact Greenshield Home & Pest Solutions for a free, same-day pest inspection.