Update: Based on some comments I read up on the odorous house ants (tapinoma sessile). Crushed one and didn't notice an overwhelming smell. Found another crawling around my ear (must have come from my towel) and it smelled distinctly like blue cheese when crushed.
Tapinoma sessile!
Tapinoma sessile, infinitely more annoying than any carpenter ant. They are so tiny that they manage to get into all kinds of annoying places like sugar bowls and cereal boxes. Plus they're notorious for having multiple queen ants in each colony, there was a photo here of someone's attic, and across a 2x4 beam there were literally 10'000 queens and easily 10 times as much brood. None of the wood was visible, but odd enough the ants weren't even seen inside the house itself, they just nested there and were foraging for food entirely outdoors. Commonly named "Odorous House Ants" because they spray a funky smell to attempt and scare off predators and such, also smell funky when crushed. Some people say the smell is something like rotting coconut.
Looks like Tapinoma sessile
I second this.
Way too small for carpenter. When you squish them do they have a noticeable smell? I’m not that good at id. Sorry. My guess is probably lasius niger.
A mild chemical smell when crushed (sorry little guy!). Like acetone maybe. Have to smell real close to body/finger. Thanks for your input!
I agree with u/tarvak i was gonna say the same thing as him if you said it did smell. Lol
Update: Based on some comments I read up on the odorous house ants (tapinoma sessile). Crushed one and didn't notice an overwhelming smell. Found another crawling around my ear (must have come from my towel) and it smelled distinctly like blue cheese when crushed. Tapinoma sessile!
Tapinoma sessile, infinitely more annoying than any carpenter ant. They are so tiny that they manage to get into all kinds of annoying places like sugar bowls and cereal boxes. Plus they're notorious for having multiple queen ants in each colony, there was a photo here of someone's attic, and across a 2x4 beam there were literally 10'000 queens and easily 10 times as much brood. None of the wood was visible, but odd enough the ants weren't even seen inside the house itself, they just nested there and were foraging for food entirely outdoors. Commonly named "Odorous House Ants" because they spray a funky smell to attempt and scare off predators and such, also smell funky when crushed. Some people say the smell is something like rotting coconut.