I have been told that I have oderous ants and that they are hard to get rid
of. I bought my ranch house one and a half years ago and I am invaded from
early spring until it gets really cold out by these critters....they are
driving me nuts. I can't find their "nest" because they seem to come from
all directions into the house. This year I paid more attention and it
seems they invade the kitchen first. I have used every insecticide known
to man inside and outside and can't get rid of them...it's gotten so bad
that I find I even dream about them...I now have windex as a new best
friend, but that wont rid them permanently. Can you PLEASE PLEASE help?
I'm tired of exterminaters and have two cats so I can't bomb the place.
Pat
Odorous House Ants
So many of the articles you find on this site tell you that proper identification of a pest is vital to getting quick and total control. It can also save you lots of money. Here's a prime example.
A homeowner complained that she was having continuous problems with ants in her kitchen. She said that her pest control company was making several visits a month to treat, but the problem continued.
The homeowner was asked the time of day the ants were noticed and the number of ants present. She was also asked about the type of treatments being done by her pest control company.
Simply knowing positively what type of ant it was gave us clues as to where this ant might be. If only a few Odorous House ants were seen, it would be a good indication that the ants were living outside in leaf debris surrounding the foundation. But, the large number of ants being found told us to focus our search inside.
After more research the homeowner disclosed that the kitchen had been added on to several years before. We focused on examining the point where the new slab met the old slab and discovered a settling crack. This turned out to be exactly where the ants were nesting.
We removed the dishwasher and found a large separation between the two slabs. We treated the crack with insecticide dust and presto, problem solved. Sherlock Holmes closes another case!
Click here to watch my short video on how to control ants.
Comments
Pat
26 Mar 2009, 12:30
26 Mar 2009, 12:30
Ask the Exterminator
29 Mar 2009, 15:33
29 Mar 2009, 15:33
Pat:
Put away your liquid sprays and your Windex. These ants are great at finding the smallest food sources so you need to do the same. Pull out the frig and the stove and check for spills or grease that is collecting on the sides of the appliances. Thoroughly scour the floor.
Outside, remove leaf liter and firewood that may be sitting too near the house. Cut back bushes so they do not touch the foundation walls.
Use ant bait gels that have a protein base, plus other gels that have a sugar base. Both are available on line. Odorous house ants like both, but are picky about which they like at any particular time, so give them a choice.
Watch the ants to determine where their trails are and put out lots of bait. Monitor to make sure they are taking the bait.
Put away your liquid sprays and your Windex. These ants are great at finding the smallest food sources so you need to do the same. Pull out the frig and the stove and check for spills or grease that is collecting on the sides of the appliances. Thoroughly scour the floor.
Outside, remove leaf liter and firewood that may be sitting too near the house. Cut back bushes so they do not touch the foundation walls.
Use ant bait gels that have a protein base, plus other gels that have a sugar base. Both are available on line. Odorous house ants like both, but are picky about which they like at any particular time, so give them a choice.
Watch the ants to determine where their trails are and put out lots of bait. Monitor to make sure they are taking the bait.
Lauren
23 Apr 2009, 11:25
23 Apr 2009, 11:25
I am having an ant problem in my condo (2nd floor). I believe that they are
Odorous Ants because of the smell when crushed. They are actually in the
bedroom (thankfully have not found their way into the kitchen). We do not
eat in the bedroom and I have mopped and vacuumed several times since
finding ants. I believe they are in the wall.
At first there were only random ones here and there (scouts?) but as soon as I put bait out, it seemed to make the problem worse. Now I can't get rid of them. They don't seem to be making trails either, I still just see one here one there, with the majority near the bait.
Please help!
At first there were only random ones here and there (scouts?) but as soon as I put bait out, it seemed to make the problem worse. Now I can't get rid of them. They don't seem to be making trails either, I still just see one here one there, with the majority near the bait.
Please help!
Ask the Exterminator
24 Apr 2009, 16:23
24 Apr 2009, 16:23
Probably an exterior nest. Go outside and look closely for ants finding
their way into cracks in the foundation wall. Clear away any leaf clutter,
seal up cracks and treat along the foundation with a granular insecticide.
Maggie
26 May 2009, 18:39
26 May 2009, 18:39
I have recently cancelled my post control company and decided to fight
odorous house ants on my own due to not wanting chemicals sprayed in or
outside of my home and expose my 4 month old baby.
I have sprayed them with seventh generation cedar and orange cleaner to kill them then spray vinegar and water all around to kill the trail. I have also sprinkled borax along my windowsills and along the perimeter of my house. I placed liquid and non-liquid baits outside and trimmed back my plants so nothing is touching the house.
While the weather is warming I am seeing a spike in activity and the scout ants are in multiple areas of my house. All of my neighbors have these ants.
I am really frustrated and would appreciate any help or advice. Thank you.
I have sprayed them with seventh generation cedar and orange cleaner to kill them then spray vinegar and water all around to kill the trail. I have also sprinkled borax along my windowsills and along the perimeter of my house. I placed liquid and non-liquid baits outside and trimmed back my plants so nothing is touching the house.
While the weather is warming I am seeing a spike in activity and the scout ants are in multiple areas of my house. All of my neighbors have these ants.
I am really frustrated and would appreciate any help or advice. Thank you.
Ask the Exterminator
27 May 2009, 09:37
27 May 2009, 09:37
The answers are on this page in the comments.
Erin
28 May 2009, 18:49
28 May 2009, 18:49
I've had and problems in our house for 6 years now. I know they're never
going to go away (we have a creek in our back yard here in Oregon) but I
really hate when they get in the house. It's always in the same place every
year, in the bathroom during the spring and summer, and I am about 90% sure
that they are odorous ants, due to the pics I've researched and they are
weird smelling when you squish them. Well, this year they've brought some
new friends with them, ants with wings! The winged ants definately have 3
seperate body parts, and they're always with the other ants, sometimes in a
line sometimes strayed away a bit, always in my bathroom. Right now it
looks like they are nesting in my roof, I've observed them crawling up the
wall to a crack in the ceiling and in the same spot on the outside of the
house where the crack is inside. They are pretty picky about what they eat,
although they did devour a large spider I sqished on my back deck in about
an hour. Any ideas on how to treat, and should I treat the inside, outside,
or both? Thanks Mr The Exterminator
Ask the Exterminator
28 May 2009, 21:40
28 May 2009, 21:40
Same ant, it's the reproductive caste. All ant species have winged
reproductives. You need to determine if the ants are trailing into your
home from the outside or if they are nesting on the inside. If they are
trailing you need only to close off the holes they are using to gain entry.
If they are inside, you need to locate the moisture source they seek.