SEATTLE -- West Seattle is under attack by ants.A particular kind of ant is enjoying a population boomdue to the unseasonably wet weather.
We have ants, said Scott Thompson in his West Seattle home. I've been battling these for several days.
Thomson tried everything.
I vacuum them, I wipe them up, and two or three hours later they're back in the same number, he said.
They are called odorous house ants. Exterminator Grant Gummow now calls West Seattle his ant hill, where there is a lot of moisture.
It's a good moist area where they like to live, said Gummow.
And what they lack in size they make up for in stink and staying power.You know what they are when you squish them.
You can clearly tell by the smell, it's a raw coconut smell, said Gummow.
All the store-bought products in the world may not even help. In fact, said Gummow, they may actually hurt.
An odorous house ant is a multiple queen so when you've got a multiple queen you have different nests that can form from one colony, he said.
They are clever little devils, they find another way and when they do they back with a vengeance, said Thomson. He's not about to give up the fight.But he may give in and call a professional. I feel invaded, I'd like to be rid of them.
The good news is that odorous house ants won't damage your home.The best advice,accordingtoGummow, is to find the source and then seal it off. Also, make sure you know what kind of any you're dealing with to pinpoint your best course of action.
