You’re standing in your kitchen and suddenly catch a strange whiff—kind of like blue cheese, maybe a bit like rotting coconut. You look down, and sure enough: ants.

So… is it really possible to smell ants? Turns out, yes, and if you’ve noticed it before, you’re definitely not alone.

Believe it or not, some ants give off pretty distinct smells, and it’s not because they’re dirty; it’s just how they’re built. The most notorious example is the odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile). When crushed or disturbed, they release a chemical that many people say smells like blue cheese, old coconut, or cleaning fluid (think: Pine-Sol).…