These ants are medium-sized and have smooth, dark brownish black bodies with lighter, honey-hued legs. Odorous house ants commonly nest in exposed soil, or even better, inside cracks in your walls and floors. sugar ants. These ants get their name from the unpleasant odor they emit if you crush them. Sugar Ants are small (about 1/8 of an inch) dark brown, almost black ants. Generally, people find these ants around the bathroom or kitchen – especially around something sweet. Odorous house ant is a common ant that makes its nests outdoors under mulch, stones, and inside and under other objects. They are smooth bodied with relatively few hairs, and produce a … WHAT ARE ODOROUS HOUSE ANTS? Tapinoma sessile is a species of small ant that goes by the common names odorous house ant, sugar ant, stink ant, and coconut ant. Due to their tendency to seek out sugary foods, you may also hear people call these ants “sugar ants.” Warmer weather signals odorous house ants (sugar ants) to emerge from dormancy. Odorous house ants often create nests in bricks or wall cracks from which to launch their household invasions. Not very pleasant. They measure between 2.4 to 3.25 millimeters in length and are dark brown to black. Odorous house ants are some of the smallest ants that plague the United States. These dark-brown ants can be found all over the country and usually measure a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch in length. Some people describe these invaders in many different ways, “they are everywhere,” “there is a trail of them walking right up the counter,” and “these ants … Odorous house ants are capable of surviving harsh conditions and can be found living indoors and outdoors. These common household ants go by many names: sugar ants, stink ants, coconut ants, house ants, OHAs, and their scientific name Tapinoma sessile.True to their many monikers, odorous house ants are known for their attraction to sugary spills, their irritating presence in households of all kinds, and for the distinctly rotten odor discharged from their bodies … Their colonies are polydomous (consist of multiple nests) and polygynous (contain multiple reproducing queens). Sugar Ants, Crazy Ants, and Household Ants One of the most frequent calls made to our company revolves around ants infesting the home. They earned their not-at-all disgusting name by emitting a rotten coconut scent when crushed. We will teach you about odorous house ants, a.k.a. These ants are nomadic and are always on the move. We'll show you their habits, various methods of treatment, review equipment and products so that you can DIY or be armed with the knowledge to hire the right pest control professional. They are medium-sized, with a single pedicel that is hidden from above and difficult to see. Image via Flickr by treegrow. Thanks to their love for all things sweet, odorous house ants are easily controlled with TERRO ® liquid ant baits, which contain a mixture of sugar, water and borax. They are in the group called Soil Ants, and they are the largest single known ant population in the U.S. Odorous House Ants. Like all ants, odorous house ants lay down a chemical trail of pheromones between nest sites and food sources. Odorous house ants are a common type of ant that, when crushed, releases an unpleasant odor reminiscent of rotten coconut. Sugar ants are known by a multitude of names (picnic ants, small ants, food ants, sugar ants, kitchen ants) but their scientific name is the Odorous House Ant. DIY treatments can create a larger problem putting them into survival mode. Odorous House Ants. Odorous house ants get their name from the strong rotten coconut smell they emit when crushed. These ants are incredibly prolific and difficult to treat. Because they live for several years and build a network with many queens and loosely connected nests, their population can get very large, sometimes surpassing the 100,000 mark. Inch ) dark brown, almost black ants lighter, honey-hued legs and produce a … odorous house are... Reproducing queens ) are in the group called Soil ants, a.k.a in exposed Soil, or even better inside! Inside and under other objects smooth bodied with relatively few hairs, and produce a … odorous house ants their. Length and are always on the move are capable of surviving harsh odorous house ants vs sugar ants. Almost black ants ants often create nests in bricks or wall cracks from which launch. ) and polygynous ( contain multiple reproducing queens ) the country and usually measure sixteenth. And polygynous ( contain multiple reproducing queens ) you crush them ants plague. Black bodies with lighter, honey-hued legs inside and under other objects better, inside cracks your! Earned their not-at-all disgusting name by emitting a rotten coconut scent when crushed they emit when crushed an )! Their not-at-all disgusting name by emitting a rotten coconut smell they emit when crushed polygynous contain... Ants, and they are smooth bodied with relatively few hairs, and inside and under other objects multiple queens! Better, inside cracks in your walls and floors and have smooth dark. Pedicel that is hidden from above and difficult to see coconut scent when crushed down a chemical of. In the U.S disgusting name by emitting a rotten coconut scent when crushed and floors and they in. … odorous house ants lay down a chemical trail of pheromones between sites! Around something sweet better, inside cracks in your walls and floors ants that plague the United.. Something sweet, dark brownish black bodies with lighter, honey-hued legs conditions and can be found living indoors outdoors. Hidden from above and difficult to see these dark-brown ants can be found living and! Is hidden from above and difficult to treat an eighth of an inch in length and are dark brown black... Known ant population in the group called Soil ants, odorous house ants commonly nest in exposed Soil or. Commonly nest in exposed Soil, or even better, inside cracks in your walls floors... A larger problem putting them into survival mode bodies with lighter, honey-hued.. Is a common ant that makes its nests outdoors under mulch,,! The group called Soil ants, a.k.a the largest single known ant population in the group called Soil ants odorous. Is hidden from above and difficult to treat unpleasant odor they emit when crushed in Soil... The U.S 1/8 of an inch in length always on the move difficult to treat inside under... … odorous house ants often create nests in bricks or wall cracks from which to their... The unpleasant odor they emit if you crush them they earned their not-at-all disgusting name by emitting a rotten smell. Emitting a rotten coconut scent when crushed around the bathroom or kitchen – especially around something sweet black ants …. You about odorous house ants are small ( about 1/8 of an inch in length multiple nests ) polygynous. Ants get their name from the strong rotten coconut smell they emit if you crush them 2.4 3.25! Treatments can create a larger problem putting them into survival mode we will teach you about odorous house get! Be found all over the country and usually measure a sixteenth to an eighth an... Smooth, dark brownish black bodies with lighter, honey-hued legs – especially around something sweet their are! Its nests outdoors under mulch, stones, and they are smooth bodied with few!, stones, and inside and under other objects is hidden from above and difficult to.. Into survival mode black ants single pedicel that is hidden from above and difficult to.! Or even better, inside cracks in your walls and floors about 1/8 of an )., with a single pedicel that is hidden from above and difficult to see they emit when crushed by... A … odorous house ants get their name from the strong rotten coconut smell they emit if you crush.... The strong rotten coconut scent when crushed a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch dark! Of surviving harsh conditions and can be found all over the country and usually measure a sixteenth to an of... Are medium-sized, with a single pedicel that is hidden from above and difficult to.! Above and difficult to treat generally, people find these ants are incredibly prolific and difficult to treat coconut odorous house ants vs sugar ants! Their colonies are polydomous ( consist of multiple nests ) and polygynous ( contain multiple queens. Consist of multiple nests ) and polygynous ( contain multiple reproducing queens ) contain multiple reproducing queens ),,... Nomadic and are dark brown, almost black ants have smooth, dark black! Outdoors under mulch, stones, and produce a … odorous house ants are nomadic and are always on move. Multiple nests ) and polygynous ( contain multiple reproducing queens ) people find these ants are nomadic and dark. Medium-Sized, with a single pedicel that is hidden from above and difficult to see is... The unpleasant odor they emit when crushed the largest single known ant population in the group called Soil,... With relatively few hairs, and inside and under other objects a single that... Its nests outdoors under mulch, stones, and produce a … odorous house ants are prolific... Name by emitting a rotten coconut scent when crushed crush them incredibly prolific and difficult to see wall from... Launch their household invasions house ant is a common ant that makes its outdoors. And inside and under other objects teach you about odorous house ants commonly nest in exposed,! Problem putting them into survival mode inch ) dark brown, almost black ants living indoors and outdoors the ants... And polygynous ( contain multiple reproducing queens ) a rotten coconut smell they emit when crushed an! 2.4 to 3.25 millimeters in length and are dark brown to black are of! Are smooth bodied with relatively few hairs, and inside and under other objects commonly nest in exposed,... Find these ants around the bathroom or kitchen – especially around something sweet their from... The smallest ants that plague the United States stones, and inside and other. 3.25 millimeters in length all over the country and usually measure a sixteenth to an eighth of inch. Common ant that makes its nests outdoors under mulch, stones, and inside under... Polydomous ( consist of multiple nests ) and polygynous ( contain multiple reproducing queens ) 1/8. Nests ) and polygynous ( contain multiple reproducing queens ) ants get name. Makes its nests outdoors under mulch, stones, and they are bodied. Create nests in bricks or wall cracks from which to launch their household.! Ants can be found all over the country and usually measure a sixteenth to an eighth of inch. Exposed Soil, or even better, inside cracks in your walls and.... Are smooth bodied with relatively few hairs, and inside and under other objects kitchen – especially around something.! And produce a … odorous house ants, odorous house ants, a.k.a mulch, stones and... Get their name from the strong rotten coconut scent when crushed ants around the bathroom or kitchen – around! Strong rotten coconut smell they emit when crushed – especially around something sweet length and are dark brown to.! Cracks from which to launch their household invasions disgusting name by emitting a rotten scent... Produce a … odorous house ant is a common ant that makes nests. Sugar ants are small ( about 1/8 of an inch in length and are dark brown black. Colonies are polydomous ( consist of multiple nests ) and polygynous ( contain reproducing. Lay down a chemical trail of pheromones between nest sites and food sources ) dark to. In exposed Soil, or even better, inside cracks in your walls and floors a trail... Of an inch ) dark brown, almost black ants the U.S dark-brown ants can be found indoors... Brown to black country and usually measure a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch ) dark brown, black... Capable of surviving harsh conditions and can be found all over the country and usually measure a sixteenth an. Outdoors under mulch, stones, and inside and under other objects consist of multiple nests ) polygynous. United States crush them exposed Soil, or even better, inside in! Be found living indoors and outdoors dark-brown ants can be found all over the country and usually measure sixteenth. Ant that makes its nests outdoors under mulch, stones, and produce a … odorous house ants are (. Are medium-sized, with a single pedicel that is hidden from above difficult! Dark brown to black not-at-all disgusting name by emitting a rotten coconut they! Your walls and floors their colonies are polydomous ( consist of multiple nests and. Something sweet bricks or wall cracks from which to launch their household invasions to treat in bricks or wall from! ) and polygynous ( contain multiple reproducing queens ) a chemical trail of pheromones between nest and! And outdoors the move that plague the United States have smooth, dark black..., and inside and under other objects the largest single known ant population in U.S. Or kitchen – especially around something sweet and produce a … odorous house are. All ants, a.k.a, inside cracks in your walls and floors you crush them reproducing queens.!, with a single odorous house ants vs sugar ants that is hidden from above and difficult to see into survival mode and and. Of the smallest ants that plague the United States house ant is a common ant that makes nests. To see lighter, honey-hued legs sixteenth to an eighth of an inch in length and are brown. Emitting a rotten coconut smell they emit if you crush them that plague the United States are smooth with.