The Trick To Effective Odorous House Ant Control In Dallas
If you’ve ever seen an ant crawling along your countertop or making a beeline for your sweets, there’s a good chance it was an odorous house ant. With black and dark brown bodies, these ants don’t grow more than 1/8 of an inch long, but they emit a heavy stench when you crush or kill them.
Odorous house ants aren’t aggressive, but that doesn’t make them any less of a nuisance – here’s what you should know about the threat odorous house ants pose, how to get rid of them, and the best way to handle an ant infestation in Dallas, TX.
Are Odorous House Ants Dangerous In Dallas, TX?
Unlike some ants, odorous house ants are considered a “nuisance ant” because that’s exactly what they are – a nuisance. Odorous house ants often make their way inside because they’re following the scent of meats and sweets, so open sources of food can be a huge attraction.
Once they’re inside, odorous house ants may not spread disease or be a health concern, but they won’t hesitate to contaminate your food. Cupboards and kitchen pantries make great targets for these ants, and it’s not uncommon for them to contaminate food products that they find lying around.
Another characteristic that makes odorous house ants a nuisance is the stench that they emit when they’re crushed – the odor smells similar to rotten coconuts, and if enough ants are crushed, the odor may linger around your home.
How To Prevent Odorous House Ants In Dallas, TX
Once they’re inside, odorous house ants aren’t easy to get rid of – here are a few tips for preventing an infestation in your Dallas home:
- Don’t leave unsealed sources of food lying around, especially sweets, meat products, and pet food.
- Address any moisture issues in your home, like leaky pipes, as moisture can also lure odorous house ants in.
- Make sure you thoroughly clean surfaces where there have been spills or food crumbs left behind.
- Seal cracks and crevices that ants may use to enter your home, like gaps under the door or crevices in the wall.
- Regularly clean your home, including vacuuming, sweeping, or mopping the floors where crumbs and food scraps may also have fallen.
- Keep your trash and recycling bins sealed.
The best way to prevent house ant infestations is with good sanitation practices – that means regularly wiping down the surfaces of your home, cleaning up crumbs, keeping food sealed, and vacuuming.
How To Handle An Odorous House Ant Infestation In Dallas, TX
While the prevention tips above are great for keeping odorous house ants away, they aren’t always enough to combat an active infestation. Odorous house ant colonies can be persistent, and it’s often difficult for homeowners to completely wipe out a colony on their own. In fact, the best method for handling existing odorous house ant infestations is with professional help – like those of us at Urbanex.
Our experienced professionals are not only trained in eliminating ant colonies, but we’ll also make sure these pests don’t make their way back. If you’re experiencing an odorous house ant infestation or just suspect that you may have one developing, call us at Urbanex today to learn more about our ant control program.
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