Is ants bad for your garden?
The ants that nest in soil, in wood and in opportunistic nesters are grouped into three major groups.
Opportunistic nesters mean that the ants will nest anywhere they need food, water and protection.The carpenter ants, a species that usually nest in wood, can be found in parts of a home they consider a substitute for a tree nest.
The preferred habitat of the particular ant species may affect the appearance of its nest.
Most ants are soil nesters since they need food, water and protection in the soil.Since soil nesters move a lot of soil in the process of building their nest, they also provide a valuable service to the soil based ecology they occupy.Without the positive impact of soil nesting ants, many forms of plant and animal life wouldn't be as successful.
Unless the nest is built underneath a stone, log or other object on the ground, we don't see it.
The appearance of their nest varies by species.Some soil ants will build a simple nest with one vertical tunnel, but with branches on each side of the tunnel where the ant food, eggs and larvae are housed.
Other ground ants build underground galleries that go several feet below ground and consist of a network of interlocking tunnels that connect with each other.In some species of fire ants, the nest is covered with large dirt mounds that protect the below ground nest.
The mounds of soil moved from one place to another is a sign of ground nest ants.The soil that the pavement ant displaces often shows up in cracks on sidewalks, driveways and patios, as a species that generally follow this practice.
The best representation of wood nest ants is the carpenter ants, who nest in wood that is dead, dying, rotting, or otherwise contains a good bit of moisture.The bits and pieces of wood produced during the ant's nest construction are often seen deposited outside the nest.
A typical carpenter ant gallery is free from soil and constructed with parallel tunnels.The appearance of carpenter ant "sawdust" is usually a sign of the activity of a wood species.These ants are usually not a problem since they usually attack tree limbs, tree holes, and fallen logs.
If carpenter ants build a colony in the structural wood of a home or other building, it will be a major problem.If this happens, you should contact your pest management professional and request an inspection.