Ants are some of the most successful insects on the planet. With the exception of the polar regions ants occupy just about every conceivable niche in nature. There are ants that scavenge plants and animals, some that farm exotic forms of fungus, others that tend aphids for honeydew and some that prey on insects. There are even ants that enslave other ants.
Probably the most common ant I encounter in homes is the “odorous house ant”. (The person who discovered the species felt they had a distinctive odor when crushed, personally I’ve never been able to smell it.) These ants are present on just about every property and often can be found nesting under objects setting on the soil. Their colonies can have over 10,000 workers and 10 to 15 queens in a single nest. They frequently establish new nest sites by dividing the colony and moving several queens and thousands of workers en mass.
Odorous house ants are scavengers and will consume a wide variety of foods but they have a strong tendency to go for the sweet stuff. They normally forage within 10 to 20 feet of their nest and will move their nest when resources are depleted.
Like many ant species, these girls (yes, the workers are all female though infertile) use chemicals, called pheromones to communicate.
The rear segment of an ants body is called the “gastor” and is where food is stored and digested. On the underside of the gastor are glands that release a pheromone that signals other ants to the presence of food. Before feeding , the ants gastor rides high off the ground (OK, high for its size). After feeding, the gastor literally drags on the ground leaving a trail of pheromones for other ants to follow. When the food is gone, late arriving workers don't fill up, stop dragging their gastors and the pheromones evaporate.
This ant is one of the smallest ants you will encounter but can be one of the most difficult to control. Because of their size (less than 1/8 inch) most people just smash them with the tip of their finger when they first show up. This tends to be highly ineffective and within a few days there are ants wandering around the sink and counter top.
At this point most of us get out the wash rag and start trying to clean up anything that might be attracting them. Often this will cause the ants to “disappear” for a while but usually within a few days they’re back.
OK, now that’s enough! Off you go to the store for a can of “Bug Death” and this is the point where things can go terribly wrong. If you’re very lucky some knowledgeable salesperson will direct you to the ant “bait”.
Because there are usually several queens in a colony the ability to produce workers is enormous. This means they can replace them almost as fast as you can kill them with a spray.
Most over the counter ant spray is highly repellant. Because they use chemicals to communicate ants are very sensitive to these sprays and will try to avoid them. If your luck holds you will miss the nest completely, if not, you may disrupt the nest causing it to fragment into two or more separate nests. Now you’ve spread them. From here on it’s usually a running battle for control of your home unless you get professional assistance.
As always, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Many of the things that cause ants to invade in the first place can be traced to landscaping and home maintenance.
Here are a few things that can help:
Avoid storing anything against the foundation. Pallets, fire wood, lumber, pet food dishes, trash cans, etc. all should be kept away from the building or placed on a stand to eliminate objects for ants to nest under.
Use landscape fabric under landscaping. Do not use plastic. It creates a perfect nesting place.
Avoid plants like roses or ivy close to the building. These support aphids which produce honeydew.
Keep plants away from the walls and roof. Branches and foliage provide pathways onto your home.
Don’t store empty beverage cans or bottles in your home. The sugars are irresistible.
If you put up a humming bird feeder keep it away from the house. Same as above.
Keep your home dry. Use the exhaust fan when you cook or bathe to prevent condensation.
If you cover the foundation vents on your home remember to remove them before April.
Lastly, but most importantly, if you do get ants inside your home and decide to treat them yourself never spray them.