As soon as spring is upon us, temperatures will begin to rise, and odorous house ants will begin to dominate landscapes across the United States. Here are a few facts to prepare your technical arsenal for the upcoming ant season:
The odor only becomes really apparent if an odorous house ant is crushed. This odor is sometimes described as rotten, or coconut scented but it really depends on the individual’s nose. Indoors, a trail of odorous house ants will not create a smelly environment.
Odorous house ant colonies can be found outdoors in mulch and under rocks, logs, and planters. Indoors, they are often found nesting in the kitchen and other areas that provide warmth, food, and moisture in voids.
Odorous house ant colonies contain thousands of workers and have multiple queens. They form new colonies in the spring or early summer by swarming. Odorous house ants may also divide by “budding”, where a queen leaves the nest with workers and starts a new colony in a different location.
Fuse® is an excellent option for odorous house ants outdoors. This product combines the powerful, non-repellent chemistry of fipronil and imidacloprid for enhanced protection against ants. Apply this liquid product as a perimeter barrier treatment in early spring to help prevent odorous house ants from gaining access indoors.
