Some ants in Raleigh, NC, cause damage, others cause harm, and they are all nuisance pests. So, where do odorous house ants fit in? While they don’t cause damage to wood-like carpenter ants or painful bites like fire ants, odorous house ants do cause trouble for property owners. Find out more about the dangers of having these ants around.
What Do They Look Like?
As a small species of ant, the odorous house ant only grows to be about .125 inches long. When you look at them from the side, these ants in Raleigh have an uneven thorax. They’re dark brown to black in color and don’t have any distinguishing marks.
However, there is an easy way to identify odorous house ants. If someone crushes this ant, they notice a strong smell similar to rotten coconut. You’re most likely to see these ants near high moisture areas, like under rocks and near pipes.
Do They Pose A Danger To You?
For the most part, odorous house ants are only a nuisance pest. They don’t transmit deadly diseases like cockroaches, nor do they have deadly bites like black widow spiders. However, they can get into your food and contaminate it.
All ants have the potential to carry bacteria and other organisms that can cause you to become ill, and odorous house ants are no exception. Due to their small size, these ants find it easy to get into the food stored in your pantry. If you’re not cautious, you could end up with a whole pantry full of contaminated food.
The foul smell emitted by these ants is more annoying than anything else. Likewise, the reluctance of these ants to leave your home also makes them a nuisance. You deserve to be comfortable in your own home, and that’s impossible with odorous house ants around. This is why taking steps to prevent odorous house ants is essential.
How You Can Keep Odorous House Ants Away
If you want to deter these ants from taking over your property, you need to take a few key steps. The following steps may help you protect your home from odorous house ants:
Keep Piles Of Wood Away From Your Home
If you have piles of firewood or lumber in or near your home, you could be inviting odorous house ants inside. To keep ants away, store piles of wood as far away from your home as possible. Instead of stacking wood on the floor, try stacking it off the ground. This limits moisture from building up underneath the wood.
Keep Trash Securely Stored Away From Your Home
In addition to storing your trash in cans with lids, keep the cans far away from your home. Even with a lid, a garbage can may attract odorous house ants. Inside your home, keep all trash bags in containers with lids.
Trim Back Greenery
You can’t do much to keep odorous house ants from being in your yard, but you can try to keep them out of your home. One way to accomplish this is to trim back branches and trees from your home. If any branches touch your exterior wall, ants can use them as bridges to get inside.
Seal Your Home
Make your home less vulnerable to odorous house ants by sealing up cracks, caulking around your window, and installing door sweeps. With fewer entry points to your home, ants might stay outside.
Clean Frequently
If you clean regularly, you can get rid of crumbs. Doing so takes away potential ant food, which protects your home.
Work With Us
Contact our professionals at Innovative Pest Solutions for immediate help. We can prevent and eliminate ant infestations in your Raleigh, NC, home or business with our team of professionals. Call us today at Innovative Pest Solutions for an appointment for your free estimate, or use our online form. We strive to go above and beyond to keep your home safe and pest-free.
