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Ants are one of the most frequent and pervasive home-invading pests in Plano, Texas, and throughout the country, and they are much more of a problem than their small size might suggest. There are many different species in the area, and they all have slight variations in appearance. Some of them are also more dangerous while others are mainly nuisance pests. However, even harmless ants can still be extremely invasive and hard to remove.
One of the most common ants in the area is the odorous house ant. They are only about 3mm long and a dark brown to black in color. They can easily be mistaken for other species based on sight alone, but you can look for their rather irregular-shaped thorax. Odorous house ants also have only one node that attaches their thorax to their abdomen. However, the easiest way to tell if you’re dealing with odorous house ants is by the smell of rotten coconuts they emit when crushed.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to deal with these pests by getting some helpful prevention tips and also learn the best way to eradicate an existing infestation.
Are Odorous House Ants Dangerous?
Some ant species can transmit diseases or cause property damage, but the odorous house ant is mostly just a nuisance pest. They don’t pose any real threats to property, and they also don’t transmit any disease or cause allergic reactions.
However, they can still be frustrating to deal with, and while they might not be linked to the transmission of disease, they can contaminate food. As with most other ants, they will get into all kinds of food items from sweets to proteins to pet food. Any items they get into will need to be thrown out. And, the smell they emit can be rather unpleasant to deal with, too.
Odorous House Ant Prevention Measures
Odorous house ants can reproduce quickly and hide in many out-of-sight areas. This means they are very difficult to remove completely once they get inside, making prevention much easier than control. To prevent odorous house ants, you can take some general pest prevention steps, and these will help keep other pests away, too.
- Shore up potential entry points by repairing broken screens and sealing up cracks and holes in the walls and foundation.
- Clean up food and drink spills right after they happen.
- Make sure to keep kitchens cleaned by sweeping and mopping floors and doing dirty dishes often.
- Install door sweeps and weather stripping.
- Store pet food indoors in airtight containers.
- Take the garbage out often and place a lid on all trash cans.
The Simplest Way To Remove Odorous House Ants
Even if you take extensive prevention measures, there’s still a chance you could deal with ants in your home as they are so widespread. If you do have odorous house ants or any other ant species, the easiest way to eradicate them is with help from All-Safe Pest & Termite.
We have the experience and tools needed to get rid of these invasive pests while keeping you and your family safe. We even offer free estimates, so contact us today to get started. Our team is happy to provide you with more information and book your initial appointment.
