Have you noticed that there are ants in your house? Many people wind up having problems with ants during specific times of the year.
Ants can very easily get into people’s houses through little cracks and holes. You’ll likely need to take certain steps to keep ants at bay, but your first instinct will be to kill the ants.
If you kill an ant and discover that it smells horrible, then you might be wondering what’s up. Why do ants smell like chemicals, and is this normal?
When you’ve never encountered an ant that smells bad like this before it’s going to be a little alarming. Read on to learn why some ants smell and what you can do about your ant problem.
Why Do These Ants Smell?
The ants that you’re killing smell because of a type of odorous fluid that they produce. This fluid is produced to help the ants fight off other insects that might be bothering them.
When the ants are killed, you’ll start to notice a strong smell. People describe these smells differently depending on the type of odorous ant that they have encountered.
Some of these ants might smell like rotten coconuts or ammonia, but others have said that they smell like blue cheese. Whatever the case may be, you should know that this smell isn’t going to be pleasant.
If you smelled an ant and thought that it smelled like chemicals, then you might be leaning toward thinking that it smells like ammonia or something like that. Regardless, these ants are going to be a nuisance and you won’t want to take them lightly.
Odorous Ants Can Have Multiple Queens and Colonies
One of the most frustrating aspects of these types of ants is that they’re hard to get rid of. You see, ants like this don’t always just stick to one colony, and they can go through a process known as “budding” where the colony will split into several different colonies.
When the ants come into contact with certain chemicals, they’re going to go through with this splitting up process. It makes it harder to find all of the ants and exterminate them.
These annoying ants often infest people’s homes, and they can live in close proximity to humans. They’re going to be a real issue if you don’t take the right steps to deal with them.
When the ants split the original colony up, they will spread out. This means that they can wind up infesting entire homes and large areas in a very short amount of time.
They produce lots of ants as well because they have multiple queens. This isn’t a situation where there is just one queen, and it makes it that much more important for you to start dealing with this problem right away.
Keep Your House Very Clean
Keeping your house very clean can help to deter ants from wanting to come inside. The ants are looking for food so that they can have a thriving colony, and if you do a good job of not leaving any crumbs for them, then you’ll be much better off.
Take the time to clean your house thoroughly so that your home will be less attractive to the ants. Be sure to eliminate grease stains, wipe down your counters, and mop your kitchen floor.
If you do this type of cleaning on a semi-regular basis, then you should be less likely to have to deal with these ants. Sometimes preventative measures are your best bet when you don’t want to be bothered by odorous ants.
Seal Cracks and Crevices
Sealing cracks and crevices can prevent the ants from having a way into your home. There might be cracks near your windows or doors that are allowing the ants to get in.
Search for cracks and crevices all around your house so that you can seal things up. Using caulk might be necessary, and it’s also likely going to be smart to move wood piles away from your walls.
You want to keep areas where ants will build colonies as far away from your house as possible. Seal the walls and keep debris away from your home.
Fix Leaks or Other Moisture Problems
Ants like this are actually attracted to moisture, and they could be coming into your home looking for water. If you have a leaky faucet or other moisture sources, then that’s like a beacon to these ants.
Do your best to fix any minor plumbing issues that are causing the ants to come around. It’ll help to keep them from being as interested in your home, and it’ll probably save you money on your water bill, too.
Ant Bait
Ant bait can do a good job of helping you to get rid of odorous ants. These work so well because ants will take the bait back to the colony.
If you use a slow-release type of bait, then this ant bait can kill the queen in the colony and your problems will be close to being solved. The use of ant bait instead of chemical sprays is recommended because sprays can cause the colony to split again.
You need to be smart about using ant bait so that you can get rid of the odorous ants for good. It might seem like a pain not to be able to just spray and be done with it, but it really is for the best.
Non-Repellent Insecticide Can Work
You can potentially use a non-repellent insecticide to get rid of these ants. If you go this route, you’ll be using a type of ant spray that the ants can’t detect.
Spray this on your walls, around your windows, on the plumbing, and anywhere else that you think makes sense. The ants that come into contact with this won’t detect it and they’ll bring it back to the colony.
Over time, this should help you to eliminate the colony. Just be sure that you get the right spray because most chemical sprays will cause the colony to keep splitting and you’ll perpetuate your problem.
Consider Calling Exterminators
If you’re having a hard time dealing with this issue yourself, then you could always call in professionals. Exterminators should know the right steps to take to help you get rid of odorous ants.
These ants can be very annoying to deal with, but exterminators have dealt with ants like this plenty of times. They will have the right bag of tricks to get rid of them for you, and you’ll be able to rest easy once again.
Of course, calling an exterminator to handle the problem is likely going to be more expensive. If you wish to save some cash, then using the ideas mentioned above will be a better idea.
Even so, not everyone has the time to place ant bait and do the other things that are necessary. If you feel that calling exterminators is the best course of action in your situation, then you should go for it.
Final Thoughts
Now you know why some ants smell like chemicals, and you’ve learned that they’re quite problematic. Thankfully, you can get rid of these troublesome ants with the right strategies.
Just be careful not to accidentally split the colony multiple times because you could make the infestation worse. If all goes well, then you shouldn’t have to deal with smelling those nasty ants moving forward.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.