Ants Hold the Key to a Garden’s Health

Did you know that the fate of your garden depends on ants? Most people think of ants as pests, but these complex insects play several important roles in your yard’s ecosystem.

Since many ant species are predators of other insects, the millions of ants in your garden control the amount of caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers in your garden. Without ants, these insects would be left unchecked to devour your plants.

Many birds would be less likely to visit your garden if it lacked a healthy ant population. Ants themselves are prey for larger predators. Northern flickers are woodpeckers with a long tongue specializing in lapping up dozens of ants with each flick. In the desert Southwest, horned lizards also feed on ants, sometimes exclusively. Most backyard birds feed their young insects, many being ants.

Ants also make life easier for plants. The tunnels ants make in the soil channel air, water, and organic matter directly to plant roots and loosen the soil, making it easier for roots to grow. The seeds of many plants such as trilliums, violets, Dutchman’s breeches, trout lilies, and datura have fleshy, nutritious extensions called eliaosomes, which lure ants. The ants feed the eliaosomes to their larvae and then disperse the seeds in nutrient-rich heaps outside the colony, where the seeds germinate.

Only a few ant species become nasty pests. Carpenter ants can cause damage in homes by making tunnels through soft, decaying wood to create a nest. Tiny, exotic Argentine ants invade the home by feeding on all sorts of strange items, such as electronic equipment. And the red imported fire ant creates huge mounds and has an extremely painful bite.

In most cases ants are probably providing beneficial services to your garden. Before you start spraying to kill them off, identify the species to determine if it is truly a pest. If poison is your only option, here is an effective method of trapping them that is essentially non-toxic to people and other animals: soak bread in a mixture of 3⁄4 cup water, 1⁄4 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon borax and put it in a small plastic container with holes in the side.

Ants owe their success to their social nature. Within a colony there’s a complex and efficient division of labor. an Ant colonies can include (depending on the species): foragers, warriors, hunters, nannies, janitors, undertakers, engineers, gardeners, herders, guards, egg-laying queens. Ants communicate via chemical pheromones, which they detect with their antennae. Learning more about these fascinating insects will make you appreciate the role they play in keeping your garden healthy.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking good and healthy.