Odorous House Ant vs Little Black Ant
Odorous House Ants and little black ants are easy to mix up at a glance, but a few details separate them quickly. Here is how to tell which one you found and what, if anything, you should do about it.
Quick answer
Check for this first. An odorous house ant has small, uniformly dark ant with an uneven thorax, while a little black ant has very small, glossy jet-black body.
Side-by-side comparison
| Odorous House Ant | Little Black Ant | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Ants | Ants |
| Scientific name | Tapinoma sessile | Monomorium minimum |
| Size | 2–3 mm | 1.5–2 mm |
| Colors | Black and Brown | Black |
| Legs | 6 legs | 6 legs |
| Wings | No | No |
| Bites or stings | No | No |
| Risk | Nuisance | Nuisance |
| Key feature | Small, uniformly dark ant with an uneven thorax | Very small, glossy jet-black body |
Key differences
- Color: Odorous House Ants are black and brown; little black ants are black.
- Where found: look for odorous house ants in the kitchen and in the bathroom; little black ants turn up in the kitchen and in lawns and grass.
- Signature feature: Odorous House Ants: small, uniformly dark ant with an uneven thorax. Little Black Ants: very small, glossy jet-black body.
How to identify odorous house ants
A small, dark brown to black ant that trails along counters and sinks looking for sweets. Crushed workers give off a smell often compared to rotten coconut.
- Small, uniformly dark ant with an uneven thorax
- Rotten-coconut odor when crushed
- Erratic, fast-moving trails, especially after rain
How to identify little black ants
A tiny, jet-black, shiny ant that nests in lawns, under rocks and in wall voids. Workers form narrow trails to sweets, grease and meats.
- Very small, glossy jet-black body
- Two nodes in the waist
- Slow-moving, narrow single-file trails
Which one is more dangerous?
Neither is more dangerous than the other; both are rated nuisance on our scale.
Odorous house ants are a nuisance only; they rarely bite and don't sting. Little black ants have a sting too weak to feel; they are a nuisance only.
Where and when you'll see each
Odorous House Ants turn up in the kitchen and in the bathroom, mostly in spring and summer. Little Black Ants turn up in the kitchen and in lawns and grass, mostly in spring and summer.
Because they share habitat, you may find both in the same place, so check each individual.
What to do if you find one
Odorous House Ants: Wipe up crumbs and sugary spills and rinse recyclables. Read the full removal guide for more.
Little Black Ants: Locate outdoor nests near the foundation and treat them with bait. Read the full removal guide for more.
Biology: ants
Ants live in colonies ruled by one or more egg-laying queens. The workers you see are sterile females foraging for the rest of the colony, so killing visible ants rarely solves anything. Winged ants, called swarmers, appear when a mature colony sends out new kings and queens.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between odorous house ants and little black ants?
Color: Odorous House Ants are black and brown; little black ants are black.
Which is bigger, an odorous house ant or a little black ant?
Odorous House Ant: 2–3 mm. Little Black Ant: 1.5–2 mm.
Do odorous house ants or little black ants bite?
Odorous House Ants do not bite. Little Black Ants do not bite.
Where are they usually found?
Odorous House Ants: in the kitchen and in the bathroom. Little Black Ants: in the kitchen and in lawns and grass.