Odorous Ants

Odorous Ant Facts

• Location: Common throughout North America
• Nickname: Coconut ant or stink ant
• Color: Dark brown or black
• Size: Range between 1.5 and 3.2 mm in size

Odorous Ant Behavior

When crushed, odorous ants emit a smell similar to the odor of rotten coconuts. These ants are highly -tolerant of other ants and occasionally live in compound colonies with other species.

These insects are a frequent nuisance in homes across the country. They build their nests in a wide variety of places, and their colonies can contain as many as 100,000 workers and numerous queens. The workers also follow long foraging trails, and they feed on many sweets, meats, fats and grease. Their most obvious identifier, however, remains the smell they make when crushed.