Budding

The splitting of an ant colony into multiple new colonies, often triggered by disturbance from a repellent product.

Budding is why identification matters before anyone acts. Odorous house ants and pharaoh ants both bud, so a reactive spray can leave a household with more trails than it started with — and in an apartment building, spread the problem between units.

Related terms

• Harbourage
• Integrated pest management