If you’re wondering how bad odorous house ants in Fairfax are, you can learn a lot simply by looking at the name. These are odorous ants. If you crush them, they’re going to put up a stink about it. Many compare the unpleasant odor of these ants to the scent of rotting coconut. You’re not going to want these ants crawling around in your home for long. Unfortunately, they like crawling around in your home. This is why they’re called odorous “house” ants. Their love for man-made structures makes them frustrating pests. So, you can expect them to be stinky houseguests that don’t want to leave. But you may be thinking, “That’s not what I want to know. I’m curious how dangerous they are.” Let’s take a look.
Do odorous house ants sting?
No. They don’t have the ability to sting you.
Do odorous house ants bite?
Yes. But they’re not prone to bite. You could get bites if you were to significantly disturb a nest by digging it up with your hands, but we don’t imagine you’re going to do this.
Do odorous house ants spread diseases?
There are some ants, like the Pharaoh ant, that are associated with human diseases and pathogens; Odorous house ants are not.
Do odorous house ants spread harmful bacteria?
Yes. Most ant species are able to go from your garage bins to your food storage areas, or from other dirty places to sensitive locations. There is always the risk of stomach illness when you have ants inside your home. Most of the time, these ants contaminate food simply by getting into them. If you don’t like eating food with ants in it, then it can be bad to have odorous house ants in your Fairfax home.
How difficult are odorous house ants to control?
Many of the techniques for reducing these ants and keeping them out of Virginia homes have to do with general home maintenance, which you’re probably already doing.
- Remove leaves, sticks, and other organic debris from around your home.
- Move stacked wood away from your exterior.
- Remove ivy from your exterior.
- Clean clogged gutters and fix damaged areas to reduce ground saturation near your home.
- Trim your landscaping to allow the air to flow through and keep things dry.
- Remove unnecessary vegetation for your landscaping.
- Keep your trash receptacles free of strong odors and remove trash from your property weekly.
- Address aphid issues quickly to remove honeydew as a food attractant.
- Move nectar-producing plants away from your home.
- Seal gaps, cracks and holes in your exterior, paying close attention to gaps around your exterior doors.
If odorous house ants get inside, you can make your home less interesting to them by keeping things clean, and by managing moisture.
- Sweep and vacuum, routinely.
- Keep counters clean, and clean up spills immediately.
- Clean pantry shelves.
- Keep pantry foods in sealed containers.
- Clean the outside of containers, such as honey jars, before storing them away.
- Fix leaky faucets and other plumbing issues.
- Address humid spaces by installing dehumidifiers or ventilation.
When Odorous House Ant Control Is Needed
If you’re having trouble with these ants, and you can’t address the conditions that are allowing them to gain entry and live inside your Fairfax home, contact SPRK Pest Solutions. We use field-tested methods and products that are known to get effective control of ant pests, including odorous house ants. Jump over to our contact pages and drop us a line. We’ll send a licensed pest professional out to check on your ant problem and guide you in finding the right pest control solution. Odorous house ants can only be as bad as you allow them to be. Get control of those pests by reaching out to us today.
