Their technical name is “Tapinoma sessile” but most people just know them as an annoying ant that can survive both inside and out. The “odorous house ant” comes by its name with good reason because of the stench it emits when you squish it. Doing so will reward you with a whiff of rotting coconuts.
The odorous house ant is a hardy ant which will live in massive colonies both indoors or outdoors. Two or more queen ants work tirelessly to produce more than 100,000 worker ants and hundreds of reproductives. Like many other ant species, odorous house ants feast upon the honeydew that is produced from mealybugs and aphids. These ants work 24 hours a day, 7 days per week for the good of the colony.
During the early fall when honeydew is hard to come by, New Jersey homeowners often come under attack by an army of odorous house ants as they search for a replacement food source. As the autumn arrives, these hungry ants will change their diet and consume dairy products, vegetables, meats, sugary foods, fruit juices, sweets, pet food, or any other food substance made available by humans. As these pests hunt for food, they contaminate food sources and preparation areas.
Once odorous house ants find their way indoors, they will not leave on their own unless Argentine ants force them to move out, which would make for an entirely different ant nightmare. Hiring a Monmouth County, NJ exterminator to create an exterior barrier against all types of pests will keep odorous house ants from nesting in walls, under flooring, and behind cabinets.