The Battle Against Odorous House Ants: A Guide to Getting Rid of Unwanted Guests
If you're battling ants, you're not alone. One of the most common ants to invade our homes is the odorous house ant. What's notable about this type of ant is that they actually do smell when rushed, with some describing the scent as similar to rotten coconut. While having unwanted roommates can be frustrating, it's worth noting that odorous house ants won't transmit diseases or cause any significant damage to your home.
In most cases, getting rid of these ants doesn't require hiring an exterminator. The key is to keep your kitchen counters clean and tidy, as well as clean up any messes and crumbs. Ants are attracted to everything, especially sugary liquids like juice or honey. To prevent attracting these unwanted guests, it's essential to store dry foods in airtight containers and clean up after cooking outside. Don't forget to also clean your indoor house plants, as their excretion can serve as an attractant for ants.
One other ant attractor you may not be aware of is the excretion of another type of bug that feeds on indoor plants. These bugs, such as aphids, produce a sweet liquid called honeydew, which can resemble white scale on leaves. Cleaning your house plants regularly can help eliminate this food source for ants and reduce the likelihood of an infestation. Additionally, consider placing feed killing plant spikes in the soil of any houseplants to further deter ants.
Ant poison or ant baits may seem like a solution to controlling an ant infestation, but it's essential to understand their limitations. While these products can kill off ants that feed on the bait and help control the population, they don't address the underlying issue of what's attracting the ants to your home in the first place. Moreover, scouts can track the liquid back to the colony, killing larvae and helping to control the population. However, it's crucial to follow package directions and heed any warnings when using these products.
It's also important to note that ant poison or ant baits may only provide a temporary solution, as there are thousands of ants in every colony. To truly get rid of an infestation, you need to solve the problem of what's attracting ants to your home and how they're getting in. This might involve identifying and addressing any entry points, such as cracks in the foundation or gaps around windows.
Finally, when it comes to controlling ant populations, it's essential to avoid using insecticides around your foundation. While these products can be effective at killing off individual ants, they only address one point of entry for the colony and may not provide a long-term solution. Moreover, some insecticides contain powerful chemicals that can pose health risks if inhaled or ingested.
If you notice wood shavings or sawdust piles around damp wood, it could be a sign of carpenter ants. These ants can damage wood in and around your home, so it's crucial to address the issue promptly. Fixing any leaks and replacing damaged wood are essential steps in preventing further damage. If you're unsure about how to proceed, consider hiring a professional to help with the infestation.
The good news is that once you've taken care of an ant problem, you can welcome ants into your home if you want. Many people find that certain types of ants, such as fire ants or harvester ants, are harmless and even beneficial to have around. With the right precautions and a little knowledge, you can learn to coexist with these unwanted guests and appreciate their unique characteristics.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enif you're battling ants you're not alone one of the most common ants to invade our homes is the odorous house ant they actually do smell when rushed some say like rotten coconut the good news is that while there are nuisance in terms of houseguests they won't transmit diseases or cause any real damage to your home and in most cases you can get rid of them without hiring an exterminator first keep your kitchen counters clean and tidy clean up messes and crumbs ants like everything especially sugary liquids like juice or honey store dry foods in an airtight container so you don't attract ants in the first place and don't forget always clean up after cooking outside be sure to clean your indoor house plants here's why one other ant attractor is actually the excretion of another type of bug Athens Athens that feed on indoor plants excrete honeydew which resembles white scale on leaves wife leaves clean to eliminate this food source for ants and consider placing a feed killing plant spikes in the soil of any houseplants what about ant poison ant baits do work and can control an ant infestation in addition to killing off any ants that feed on the bait Scouts also track the liquid back to the colony which kills larva and helps control the population set out baits anywhere you see ants and be sure to follow the package directions and heed any warnings and remember baits may be a band-aid and not a solution our experts say there are thousands of ants in every colony so unless you solve the problem of what's attracting ants to your house and how they're getting in you'll probably keep seeing them and finally though it may be tempting never spray insecticides around your foundation the spray wears off and addresses only one point of entry for ants plus these products can contain powerful chemicals so you might not want to be exposed to and here's something else to look out for if you see wood shavings or sawdust piles around damp wood that might mean you have carpenter ants they can damage the wood in and around your home fix leaks and replace damaged wood around your home and look into hiring a professional if you see signs of carpenter ants before the problem gets out of hand once you've taken care of this ant problem you can welcome the ants you actually love into your homeif you're battling ants you're not alone one of the most common ants to invade our homes is the odorous house ant they actually do smell when rushed some say like rotten coconut the good news is that while there are nuisance in terms of houseguests they won't transmit diseases or cause any real damage to your home and in most cases you can get rid of them without hiring an exterminator first keep your kitchen counters clean and tidy clean up messes and crumbs ants like everything especially sugary liquids like juice or honey store dry foods in an airtight container so you don't attract ants in the first place and don't forget always clean up after cooking outside be sure to clean your indoor house plants here's why one other ant attractor is actually the excretion of another type of bug Athens Athens that feed on indoor plants excrete honeydew which resembles white scale on leaves wife leaves clean to eliminate this food source for ants and consider placing a feed killing plant spikes in the soil of any houseplants what about ant poison ant baits do work and can control an ant infestation in addition to killing off any ants that feed on the bait Scouts also track the liquid back to the colony which kills larva and helps control the population set out baits anywhere you see ants and be sure to follow the package directions and heed any warnings and remember baits may be a band-aid and not a solution our experts say there are thousands of ants in every colony so unless you solve the problem of what's attracting ants to your house and how they're getting in you'll probably keep seeing them and finally though it may be tempting never spray insecticides around your foundation the spray wears off and addresses only one point of entry for ants plus these products can contain powerful chemicals so you might not want to be exposed to and here's something else to look out for if you see wood shavings or sawdust piles around damp wood that might mean you have carpenter ants they can damage the wood in and around your home fix leaks and replace damaged wood around your home and look into hiring a professional if you see signs of carpenter ants before the problem gets out of hand once you've taken care of this ant problem you can welcome the ants you actually love into your home\n"