Ants in the garden - for better and for worse

There are many different types of ants, some live in anthills while others prefer a life in the soil or in tunnels in wood. What they all have in common is that they live in communities and communicate through scent. Ants leave behind scent trails that other ants can follow to find food and plant sap. Some ants also leave scents that act as warnings to scare off enemies. Ants love sweet nectar, but even though they are often found on flowers, they rarely cause harm - in tropical areas they often benefit the flowers, they can, among other things, pollinate cocoa beans.Many flowers have developed techniques over time to coexist with ants. Some tropical plants, which will be pollinated by ants or need the ants' protection against harmful insects, for example, have developed nectar on the stem to attract the ants, while in the flower itself there is a substance that repels ants to protect the pollen. But even here in the north, there are plants that have adapted to ants, for example, the wood forget-me-not has a sticky stem that prevents ants from reaching the flower and accessing nectar and pollen.

It is easy to see ants as a nuisance, but in essence, ants in the garden are actually beneficial - they help to add nutrients to plants and grass and prevent certain pests and snails from causing significant damage. However, ants also contribute to an increase in aphid populations. Certain types of ants actually milk aphids for honeydew and use them as a sort of livestock. As a reward for the food, ants protect aphids from ladybugs and other predatory insects that may eat them. There are even ant species that take aphid eggs home and protect them through the winter before placing them back in suitable locations when spring arrives. The "milking" process involves the ant giving the aphid a gentle tap with an antenna or foreleg, causing the aphid to release a drop of honeydew from its back for the ant to suck up. Having more aphids is not particularly good news for us gardeners, but the problem is still easy to get rid of. Simply spray the aphids with a garden hose, causing them to fall to the ground where soil-dwelling predators will eat them up. A bigger problem may arise when ants eat flower buds, tunnel under the lawn, or build nests in old trees. But for the most part, ants are beneficial insects that are best left alone, so only remove them if they are truly a nuisance.

Ants often appear in dry environments, such as a dry corner in a plant box or a dried out compost pile, they can also make tunnels between paving stones or enter the house. If you make sure to water regularly in the garden, compost, and plant boxes, the ants will choose another place to settle. When it comes to old wives' tales for keeping ants away, cinnamon, coffee grounds, and pepper are well-known methods. If the ants build a nest in the foundation of the house or enter the house in another way, it may be necessary to remove the nest itself. If you know where the nest is and can access it, you can pour boiling water into it. Another option is to seal doors and other openings or build barriers of something they dislike, such as cinnamon. But remember that ants should not be removed at all costs, they are part of nature's diversity and should not be cleared away unless they end up in the wrong place and become a nuisance.

Liselotte Roll, Swedish garden inspirator, journalist and author of books about nature, gardening and animals, such as "Earth", "Grow for insects" and "Chickens as a hobby".