Odorous House Ant Control

Most Effective Products

Supreme IT Insecticide
Suspended Concentrate
As low as $54.99
D-Fense Dust Insecticide
Dust
As low as $11.54
Ant-Trax Ant Bait
Gel Bait
As low as $21.99
Keith's Pro Tips

"Odorous House Ants are called odorous for a reason. When crushed they let off a rotting coconut smell, so do your best not to crush them when conducting your treatment."

Odorous House Ant Control: How To Get Rid of Odorous House Ants

This page is a general Odorous House Ant control guide. Using the products and methods suggested you will get control of Odorous House Ants. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee 100% control of Odorous House Ants.

Having ants on your property or invading your home stinks. But there is a type of ant species that can make the experience of an ant infestation stink LITERALLY. That is the Odorous House Ant. Odorous House Ants are native to the United States and get their name due to the foul odor they emit when stepped on or crushed which smells similar to that of rotten coconuts.

Odorous House Ants commonly invade homes, hence the “house” being part of it's name. They typically enter homes in large numbers after heavy rains to seek shelter from flooding conditions. They are not known to cause any damage to homes, which may make them go undetected by homeowners for some time before they are discovered.

Odorous House Ants like to forage both day and night and are most attracted to sweet-tasting foods like honeydew from plants, syrups, fruits and other sugary foods. They are often nicknamed “sugar ants” because of their affinity for sweets. When indoors, these ants usually build their nests in wall voids, especially around moist and damp areas such as around water pipes sinks, cupboards and crevices.

If left untreated, Odorous House Ants can get pretty out of control with their invading population. If you have a problem with this type of ant, follow our guide below to learn how to get rid of Odorous House Ants quickly and affordably.

Identification

odorous house ants identification how to get rid of odorous house ants

Identification is the first step in control. Before you can treat you need to make sure you're dealing with Odorous House Ants. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong treatment products, which can be a waste of time and money. Below you can find the common characteristics of Odorous House Ants so you know what they look like for easy identification.

  • Odorous House Ant workers range between 1/16th to 1/8th inch (2.4-3.3 mm) long and all look uniform in appearance.
  • Odorous House Ants are colored either brown or black with an antenna which is 12-segmented without a club.
  • When threatened, they release an unpleasant odor similar to that of rotten coconuts. This is their most distinctive characteristic.

Use the image and description above to help you to properly identify Odorous House Ants on your property. If you are still unsure, you can contact us and one of our pros will try to identify the species for you.

Inspection

odorous house ants inspection

Once you have confirmed that you are dealing with Odorous House Ants, proceed with inspection. During this phase, you will be searching for these areas of your home, where foraging trails develop, or where their colony could possibly be.

Where To Inspect 

Outdoors search in your yard under yard debris, like leaf litter, rocks, logs, woodpiles, bricks, stones, under flower pots, mulched areas, rocks, and general clutter. Indoors you can find them near moisture-prone areas that receive warmth like wall voids near plumbing, near water heaters, under sinks, around toilets, and in the kitchen near appliances.

What To Look For

You're looking for Odorous House Ants, their foraging trails, and their colonies. Inspect all the areas mentioned above and follow their foraging trails back to their nest or the colony or the cracks and crevices in your home where they are emerging from. Once you find these locations this is where you will apply treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed Odorous House Ants activity it is time to begin treatment. Remember to read all product labels and follow the application instructions on these labels, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Step 1 - Outdoor Treatment with Supreme IT

reclaim it odorous house ants treatment

Supreme IT is a powerful insecticide that targets over 75+ insect pests, and it both repels and kills insects, including Odorous House Ants. It also has a great residual (or long-term effects) that will last up to 90 days.

To do a perimeter treatment using Supreme IT mix 1 oz. of Supreme IT with a gallon of water inside a pump sprayer. This application rate will treat 1,000 square feet. To do the perimeter or barrier treatment, spray 3 feet up and 3 feet out from the foundation of your property. While also targeting windows, door frames, eaves, soffits, rain gutters, in electrical/plumbing penetrations, and in cracks and crevices, where Ants might enter.

Next, follow label applications and do broadcast treatment (broadcast meaning all over your yard). Start the back of the lawn, and make your way to front spraying the whole lawn. While spraying in this manner also spray in patios, in ornamentals, in mulch beds, around yard debris, and near yard structure like tool sheds, and gazebos. 

Do not let people or pets enter areas treated until 2 to 4 hours have passed.

Step 2 - Indoor Treatment with D-Fense Dust

Applying D-Fense Dust to treat Odorous House Ants

If you have an Odorous Ant infestation indoors, apply D-Fense Dust. D-Fense Dust is perfect to apply in cracks and crevices where the ants are emerging from, and it is also moisture resistant which makes it perfect to apply in areas like where water heaters are located. 

To use D-Fense Dust you will need a handheld duster. Fill the duster halfway with D-Fense Dust and leave plenty of room inside the duster for air to circulate inside. Apply this product by squeezing the duster. Apply in cracks and crevices in the home, like under sinks (where plumbing penetrates walls), along baseboards, and in any crack and crevice you're able to find and where you have noticed Odorous Ants emerging from.

Step 3 - Ant-Trax Ant Bait

ant-trax ant bait how to get rid of odorous house ants

Ant-Trax Ant Bait is a bait that mimics sweets and that the ants will come in contact with and carry back to the nest. Because it works slowly this product will target every ant that comes in contact with it, and once it is carried back to the nest, it will affect the whole colony.

Ant-Trax is easy to use and comes in a syringe. To apply simple press down on the plunger. Apply a pea-sized drop where there is ant activity. Separate each placement by at least one foot. Apply in countertops, in kitchens, in bathrooms, near appliances, near baseboards, and in entry points (like cracks and crevices near window frames, and door frames).

When using this product let the ants create foraging trails and do not kill the ants that come in contact with the product. Also, do not use cleaning supplies or other insecticides where Ant-Trax has been applied. The point is the let the ants came in contact with the product, and to allow them to carry it back to the nest. Allow for 7 to 10 days to go by and let the ants consume as much bait as possible.

Prevention

yard debris odorous house ants prevention

Once you have successfully eliminated the Odorous House Ant infestation, you will want to make sure they don't make a return. In order to obtain full control of Odorous House Ants, you need to modify your environment to make it less suitable for ants to survive. Here are some preventative measures to take:

  • Maintain a regular cleaning schedule and pick up food crumbs or spills that are created. Clean countertops, vacuum, and sweep regularly.
  • Remove yard debris like logs, woodpiles, rocks, stones, leaf litter, and other clutter that could create harborage areas for ants.
  • Remove standing water and fix moisture issues around the home. Fix leaky faucets and repair faulty plumbing.
  • Trim back vegetation away from your house to make it harder for ants to come inside.
  • Spray Supreme IT every 3 months around the perimeter of your property to maintain a protective barrier that will repel and kill insects, including ants, that might try to get inside.

Key Takeaways

What are Odorous House Ants?

  • Odorous House Ants are one of the most common invading household ants found in the U.S. Nicknamed, "sugar ants", they have an affinity for sweet foods and are known for giving off a bad odor when crushed which some describe as smelling like either stinky blue cheese or rotten coconut.

How to Get Rid of Odorous House Ants

  • To treat Odorous House Ants, we recommend an outdoor barrier application of Supreme IT Insecticide and indoor applications of both D-Fense Dust and Ant-Trax Atnt Gel Bait.

Preventing Odorous House Ant Infestations

  • Keep Odorous House Ants away by maintaining a clean home free of crumbs and other food sources, reducing outdoor yard debris and leaf litter, as well as preventative treatments of Supreme IT quarterly.
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