Have you ever walked on or otherwise crushed trailing ants and smelled a weird odor—a bit like rotten coconuts? If so, it is plausible that those ants were odorous house ants—and you can understand how they received their name!
Odorous house ants can be observed trailing through kitchens in homes all around the U.S. This ant is most prone to invade homes after heavy rains when it is attempting to escape flooding of its tiny nest. Odorous house ants are little but swift. They generally travel in lines, but if they are disturbed or scared, they will dash around randomly, emitting their odor as they run. Some people have also compared their stench with a type of a peculiar pine fragrance, albeit decaying coconuts are the most prevalent comparison.
Mint
For ant repellent, place mint plants around the perimeter of your property. Peppermint has long been used as an insect repellant. Planting mint around your home or using peppermint essential oil as a natural ant control remedy can help keep ants at bay. Your home will smell minty fresh, which will keep ants away. Mint should be planted around your property’s entrances and around the perimeter. Apply peppermint essential oil with a cotton ball to the afflicted areas and wipe away. As an extra precaution, place a peppermint oil cotton ball in areas where ants are known to congregate, such as cabinets.
Bait
Baits are usually the greatest solution for eradicating ants that have gotten into the residence.
Ant baits can be found at most home and garden stores. Following all label directions, the bait should be placed where ants have been seen. Because ants can be finicky and prefer different sorts of foods at different seasons of the year, you may need to test several baits. But be patient. The ants will feast on the bait, then transport it back to the nest to feed the colony. It is through this feeding that the insecticide will be delivered to and kill the queen and other colony members.
Using Chalk, Cinnamon, or Cornmeal
Incorporating a common household product such as cinnamon, chalk, or cornmeal into your pest control strategy will help prevent not just the entry of odorous house ants but also the entry of a variety of other ants and insects. Read more about the types of wood-destroying insects in Texas.
Chalky substances such as chalk, cinnamon, and cornmeal can disturb the waxy exoskeleton of odorous house ants, which is important for keeping them hydrated and holding in moisture. You can take advantage of the fact that odorous house ants will generally avoid walking over these things by scattering cinnamon, cornmeal, or chalk along the perimeter of your property, around ant nests you discover outside or along doorways and garages to keep ants at bay.
If you use these methods and still have any problems, contact FullScope Pest Control. We offer expert advice to help our customers keep their homes and businesses free of ants. Please contact us if you believe you require assistance in combating these intruders.
