Why the odorous house ant is so frustrating to control

Greg Pettis

Nature-Cide

Because of its tendency to “fracture” or “bud” its colonies, the odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile, or OHA) is one of the most frustrating ant species to control. This phenomenon occurs when an OHA queen panics because her workers are not returning home because of non-transferrable repellents being used indoors. She will send a pheromone that tells the colony to divide, and some ants will find another nesting site. So now you have “Double the Trouble” because two ant colonies will infest inside. If provoking is continued by repellents, the colonies can split again.

To prevent this and gain control, use transferrable products such as baits so the colony can eliminate itself with some help. Also, treating the yard with an all-natural granular can prevent colonies from
getting established in the first place, forcing them to find harborage elsewhere.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2025/01/18/why-the-odorous-house-ant-is-so-frustrating-to-control/
Sacramento CA