Odorous House Ants on the Move in Donelson

Are you noticing a strange odor in your home that smells a little bit like rotten coconut? If so, you’re not alone. Many homeowners in Donelson and throughout Middle Tennessee are experiencing the same thing. That smell is coming from an ant that commonly invades Tennessee homes. It is called the odorous house ant. It is a tiny ant that is between 1/16 and 1/8 of an inch long and brown or black in coloration.

Why do I have odorous house ants?

There are many reasons these ants are inside your Donelson home. While all of these reasons may not apply to you, some of them definitely will:

• Moisture around a home can attract odorous house ants. There are many ways a foundation perimeter can become damp but one of the most common ways is by overflowing water from an obstructed gutter system.
• Wood piles, brush piles, sticks, leaves, and other organic materials attract odorous house ants.
  These ants will be drawn to areas where there is exposed soil.
• These ants prefer sweets and are drawn to honeydew. Homes that have lots of vegetation often have aphids and scales, which produce honeydew.
• Odorous house ants will take advantage of open trash. There are many sweet foods that get thrown out.
• When these ants get inside, they will be drawn to areas of high moisture such as the kitchen and the bathroom. This is where you’re most likely to see them.

These attractants will make your yard and your home inviting to odorous house ants, but it is the availability of entry points that allow them to get into your home. Since these ants love moisture, they often use termite and carpenter ant damage to find a way inside. If you have an odorous ant problem, it is a good idea to have it checked out because you might have a more serious issue.

In Middle Tennessee, the best protection money can buy is our All-For-One residential pest control service. It gives essential protection from pests that can harm your health and property while it keeps stinky odorous house ants out. It is easy to get started with All-For-One, just schedule a free home evaluation. We’ll send a highly trained and experienced service professional, “not a salesman” right to your home. Your All-American service professional will help you figure out what pest pressure you have and what specific vulnerability your home and yard may have. Together, we can help you get control of the pests you’re concerned about.