What Are Ants Good For?

If you are finding ants inside your home, it can be hard to have a soft spot for them. Not only do they show up en masse, they often raid any food source they are able to find resulting in lost money and resources. In this article, we will take a look at some of the benefits of ants that may persuade you to leave them alone when encountered outside of your home.

Improved Soil Aeration

While earthworms are traditionally considered the king of soil aeration, ants are, in reality, the kings and queens of improving soil structure. When ant colonies begin to construct tunnels in the ground to form their nests, they indirectly improve the soil. As they continue to construct tunnels, they move soil particles and improve air and water circulation.

Enhanced Soil Chemistry

Because ants are constantly finding food sources and returning them to the colony, they are constantly adding organic matter into the soil. This is often enhanced as they excrete waste or abandon food sources that have been found and decompose. These behaviors help modify the chemistry of the soil and encourage a neutral pH that is rich in phosphorus and nitrogen.

Seed Dispersal

One of the most important roles ants have is the ability to disperse seeds by transporting them to safer and more accommodating soil. In many cases, these seeds will be transported to the nest where they can root without disruption from other animals while still receiving the adequate amounts of moisture. This is incredibly important in competitive or arid habitats that require extra moisture.

Pest Elimination

Although ants will commonly be seen eating items from your pantry, they are incredibly efficient omnivores. One of the biggest benefits of keeping ants around is that they eat many unwanted pests whenever they are available including ticks and termites. Sometimes they will even team up to kill larger pests like stinkbugs, scorpions or spiders.