They forage mainly for honeydew, which is produced by aphids and scale insects that are guarded and tended by the ants, as well as floral nectar and other sugary foods.
[3][5][6] Tapinoma sessile have long been suspected of exhibiting cloning behaviors similar to those observed in black crazy ants.
In a notable experiment conducted by Marcello Ponzo, a colony consisting of seven queens and approximately 3,000 to 4,000 workers was kept in a controlled outworld and nest environment after being captured from the wild.
Within a period of almost two months, the colony increased its number of queens from seven to ten under optimal conditions and a nutritious diet.
[1] T. sessile is a small ant that ranges in color from brown to black, and varies in length from 1⁄16 to 1⁄8 inches (1.5–3.2 mm).
[citation needed] T. sessile is native to North America and ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, but is less common in the desert southwest.
[6] The odorous house ant is tough: Injured workers have been observed to continue living and working with little hindrance, some queens with crushed abdomens still lay eggs, and there are documented instances of T. sessile queens surviving without food or water for over two months.
[3] Foragers collect food that is around the nest area and bring it back to the colony to share with the other ants.
They labeled sucrose with Immunoglobin G (IgG) proteins, and then identified them using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to track the movement of food.
[2] It was also found that the rate of trophallactic feeding depends on the number of ants per nest, and the quality of food available.
[10] When searching for food, primary orientation is when ants are exploring a new terrain without the guidance of odor trails.
They use these types of surfaces to orient along, and lay the first odor trails, which can then be followed in the future, to the food source, by other ants.
The ant does not show a large propensity for attack, preferring to use chemical secretions instead of biting.
T. sessile ants rarely fight alongside their nest-mates: They only were observed to have fought collectively in six of forty interactions.
[14] This species is a scavenger / predator ant that will eat most household foods, especially those that contain sugar, as well as other insects.
[5] Odorous house ants have been observed collecting honeydew to feed on from aphids, scale insects, and membracids.
[citation needed] They appear to be more likely to invade homes after rain (which washes away the honeydew they collect).
[citation needed] Some birds and toads will eat odorous house ants on occasion.
[citation needed] Isobrachium myrmecophilum (a small wasp) appears to parasitize odorous house ants.
[citation needed] T. sessile are not hard to control; they are vulnerable to most ant-killers, which are especially effective when applied as soon as their presence is noticed.