Odorous House Ants
(Tapinoma sessile)
Tiny dark ants that release a rotten coconut-like smell when crushed and commonly invade kitchens.
Overview
Odorous house ants are one of the most common nuisance ants in Bowling Green homes. They get their name from the distinctive rotten-coconut odor they produce when crushed. These small, dark ants form large colonies with multiple queens and can be incredibly difficult to eliminate with store-bought sprays — which often just scatter the colony and make the problem worse. They are strongly attracted to sweet foods and moisture.
Appearance
Odorous house ants are very small, typically 1/16 to 1/8 inch long. They are dark brown to black with a relatively uniform color. Their bodies are soft and segmented. Unlike some ant species, they have a hidden node (petiole) between the thorax and abdomen that is difficult to see without magnification. Their antennae have 12 segments without a distinct club.
Habitat
Outdoors, these ants nest under rocks, mulch, landscape timbers, and leaf litter. Indoors, they prefer areas near moisture and warmth — behind kitchen appliances, inside wall voids near hot water pipes, under sinks, and around leaking windows. They readily move their nests when disturbed, which is why spraying can scatter them to new locations throughout the house.
Diet
Odorous house ants have a strong preference for sugary foods and liquids, including honeydew from aphids, fruit juices, syrups, and candy. They will also feed on grease, meat scraps, dairy products, and other household food items. Their foraging trails can extend long distances from the nest.
Lifecycle
Colonies can contain multiple queens and tens of thousands of workers. Queens lay one egg per day on average, and eggs hatch in approximately 24 days. Development from egg to adult takes about 34 to 83 days depending on temperature. When conditions change, colonies frequently bud — a queen and workers split off to start a new colony nearby.
Signs of Infestation
- !Long, well-defined trails of tiny dark ants along countertops, baseboards, and window sills
- !A distinct rotten-coconut odor when ants are crushed
- !Ants congregating near sweet spills, pet food bowls, or fruit
- !Trails leading to and from outdoor entry points like cracks in the foundation
Prevention Tips
- ✓Wipe down countertops and clean up food spills immediately
- ✓Store sugar, honey, and sweet foods in sealed containers
- ✓Fix leaky faucets and pipes that create moisture sources
- ✓Seal cracks and crevices around windows, doors, and foundations
- ✓Keep pet food bowls clean and remove uneaten food
- ✓Reduce mulch depth near the foundation to less than 2 inches
Professional Treatment
Effective treatment for odorous house ants requires a baiting strategy rather than contact sprays. Professionals place sweet liquid baits along foraging trails so workers carry the bait back to all queens in the colony. Non-repellent perimeter treatments prevent new colonies from entering. Because these ants have multiple queens and readily split into new colonies, professional treatment is far more effective than DIY approaches.
Did You Know?
- •Their rotten-coconut smell comes from a chemical they release as an alarm signal.
- •A single colony can have over 100,000 workers and dozens of queens.
- •They can survive being submerged in water for up to 24 hours.
- •Spraying them with repellent products often makes infestations worse by causing the colony to split.
1/16 to 1/8 inch
Dark brown to black
6
Segmented, oval
Stink ant, Coconut ant, Sugar ant
Don't let them take over your home. Our expert technicians can eliminate the problem quickly and safely.
Or call us directly at
(270) 510-0473
Other Ants in Our Library
Carpenter Ants
Large ants that excavate wood to build their nests, potentially causing structural damage to homes.
Pavement Ants
Small brown ants that nest in cracks in pavement and driveways and forage indoors for food.
Acrobat Ants
Small ants with a distinctive heart-shaped abdomen they raise over their body when disturbed.