Ants are better than their reputation, because they perform important functions. When they become a nuisance, good will is lost. But mass accumulations of ants have a special reason. It is important to uncover this, because only then can an improvement occur.

Ants in the garden are not necessarily a problem

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Garden habitat
  3. species in the garden
  4. fight ants?
  5. Drive away and prevent
  6. frequently asked Questions

    7. the essentials in brief

    • Ants do no harm in the garden
    • If ants are disturbed, they move
    • Household remedies such as vinegar or baking soda or chemicals should not be used in the garden
    • Ants feed on aphid honeydew, which is often a sign of aphid infestation

    Garden habitat

    Ants turn out to be true survivors, because they colonize the most diverse habitats on earth. They survive temperatures down to minus 28 degrees Celsius without any problems and endure heat waves with 50 degrees. The insects are found in forests, bushes and fields. They like shaded and moist habitats as well as dry and warm open country. The garden also offers attractive conditions, but too many ants in the garden are usually perceived as a nuisance.

    Why do ants come into the garden?

    The cause of ant colonies in the garden lies in the optimal living environment. Species that settle in the garden prefer open vegetation forms with access to the substrate. Forest-dwelling ants often migrate into the garden from adjacent forests. Ants that specialize in wood find optimal habitats in primeval gardens with old trees. Lice infestation on cultivated plants is often responsible for the establishment of an ant colony.

    Be happy when ants have chosen your garden as their habitat. This shows that you have an attractive and diverse garden.

    Useful or harmful?

    Ants make an important contribution to our ecosystem

    Whether ants in the garden are good or bad depends on the individual case. In principle, the colony-forming insects take on important tasks in the ecosystem. They help to establish a balance in nature. They clear away rubbish and eat dead animals.

    Ants feed on insect or snail eggs and drag caterpillars to their nest to feed the brood. They are also important seed dispersers and favor the survival of various plants. Earth-dwelling ant species ensure that the soil is aerated. Their activities counteract soil compaction. This aspect is also beneficial in the garden.

    Ants in the food chain:

    • green woodpecker: eats between 3,000 and 5,000 ants per day
    • ant lions: Larvae have specialized in hunting ants
    • assassin bugs: imitate pheromones and capture ants on specially created ant trails
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    What damage do ants do in the garden?

    The insects are not directly harmful to crops. If there is an ant nest in the bed, the tunnels in the substrate can negatively affect plant growth. Earth-dwelling ants feed on the honeydew of root aphids, which are responsible for direct plant damage. Mounds of earth and sand that form on the lawn or between paving slabs are unattractive.

    digression

    Functions of the mouthparts

    The ants' mouthparts consist of upper and lower lips, between which paired upper and lower jaws are formed. These tools are of the chewing-biting type, with the upper jaws taking on a variety of functions. Ants not only eat with them, but also use their mouthparts to defend themselves. They grab their prey with it and carry the brood to a safe place in case of danger.

    wintering

    Ants differ from many other insects because they hibernate in different stages. Not only mated young queens but also larvae and workers retreat to their sheltered nest for the winter break. Wood ants are an exception, because these species overwinter without brood. Knot or garden ants can hibernate with or without larvae. For this reason, the ants do not disappear from the garden after a summer.

    What species live in the garden

    There are species of different genera that are also often found in the garden. Ants live in every garden, even if they are not noticed at first glance. The majority lead a life in secret. Flying ants often draw attention to the fact that the garden is being colonized by the insects.

    road ants

    The genus Lasius includes about 100 species, many of which are widespread in Central Europe. The species are rather small ants, which mainly feed on the aphid excretions. They place fewer demands on their environment than wood ants. They mostly include brown or red ants, but black ants are also common.

    Type populated food color
    Brown garden ant wood dwellers rotten wood Aphid honeydew striking two-tone
    Black garden ant earthlings Cavities under stones, lawns and flower beds Honeydew from root aphids dark brown to black, silvery hairy
    Shiny black carpenter ant wood dwellers rotten wood Aphid honeydew deep black, shiny
    Yellow Meadow Ant earthlings large lawns and beds Honeydew from root aphids light yellow to brownish yellow
    Bicolored Garden Ant cavity dwellers Deadwood, cavities under stones dead insects, honeydew reddish yellow to reddish brown and dark brown

    wood ants

    Wood ants are a large species of ants

    This genus includes large ants that reach a body length of ten millimeters. The species build earth and hill nests and prefer to live in the forest. Formica species are omnivores and keep the forest floor clean. Mound-building forest ants enjoy special protection. Numerous species are endangered and are on the Red List. The red wood ant can also settle in the garden if it is in the immediate vicinity of a forest.

    This is what the red wood ant likes:

    • sunny places on the edges of trees
    • Insects, larvae, caterpillars and arachnids as well as carcasses and honeydew
    • rotten tree stumps

    knot ants

    Ants of the genus Myrmica are medium-sized and build their nests in both deadwood and substrate. A common species in the garden is the red garden ant, which prefers moist conditions. It inhabits moss-covered lawns that grow taller. Their nests can be seen as piles of dirt on lawn edges or in the middle of the field. The insects are strikingly brownish red in colour.

    Particularities:

    • aggressive behavior when nest is disturbed
    • group together in ant clusters during floods
    • have a poison sting

    fire ants

    The only species considered native north of the Alps is the yellow thief ant. It prefers warm, flat-bottomed locations. The species builds its nests in sandy subsoil with dry conditions and sparse vegetation. Dry grass and rocky soils offer optimal conditions. In central and southern Germany, where the species occurs more frequently due to the favorable climate, yellow ants can also occur in urban areas. They are a rather rare guest in the garden

    carpenter ants

    Carpenter ants colonize old wood, in rare cases also wooden beams

    Black and brown-black carpenter ants are the largest species in Central Europe. They are dark in color and grow up to 18 millimeters long. The species are tree dwellers and colonize dead wood. In rare cases, the species can be observed in gardens that provide old fruit trees or rotten fence posts as habitats.

    fight ants?

    An intact garden is always populated by ants. To get ant-free gardens, you would have to use poison. As a result, not only does the ant population suffer, but your health and the natural balance in the garden are also massively affected. If you destroy the ant colony, the symptoms will disappear for a short time. The cause remains.

    Why fighting is pointless

    Ants are territorial. Once they have found a territory, they defend it against other ant colonies and young ants. In turf wars, the defenders kill and eat migrant ants. As soon as you intervene in these processes, the natural cycle is disturbed. The end of a colony means a new beginning for the next colony. If a burrow has been abandoned, new ants migrate after a short time and colonize the garden.

    Inappropriate home remedies

    Baking soda and vinegar are effective under certain conditions. In the garden, however, the means have lost nothing. The soil absorbs the substances faster than they affect ants. Coffee is also a common way to scare ants away. This seems to work differently and is probably due to the scent. If you sprinkle particularly intensely smelling coffee grounds directly on the ant nest, a deterrent effect is possible. However, the aromas quickly dissipate and the effect is lost.

    tips

    You can prevent ant trails with a thick trail of cinnamon. The insects are confused by the intense aroma.

    Tips for expulsion and prevention

    If ants feel disturbed, they move

    Ants can be repelled completely naturally and without poison if you have a little patience. The measures are effective if you apply them regularly. Use multiple methods if necessary, as not all ant species respond equally well to nuisance.

    Systematic disorder

    Ants like consistent conditions. If their nests are disturbed, the brood is in danger. The insects react to this by relocating with their brood. If you have discovered a nest in the bed, you can press the earth firmly every day or pierce the earth with a stick. This fills up the corridors and the ants look for a new territory when there are constant disturbances.

    floods

    Many earth-dwelling ants are dependent on moist conditions. However, they cannot rear brood in permanently wet soil. Flooding the burrows helps some species to scare them away. However, many ants cope well with heavy rain and are unimpressed by this measure.

    tips

    You can use the aversion to moisture to relocate earth-dwelling ants. The flowerpot trick only works on these species after heavy rains.

    fight food sources

    Ants like to settle where there are aphids

    Ants settle where there is enough food available. Both terrestrial and aboveground ants commonly feed on honeydew. If you find a nest in the bed or on the lawn, there is a high probability that the plants are affected by root lice. You can often find above-ground nests near plants where aphids live. To get rid of the ants, you should fight the cause of their appearance:

    • Rinse aphids with water
    • Fight root lice with tansy broth
    • Strengthen plants with nettle manure

    Unattractive habitats

    Garden paths should be laid out in such a way that they appear unattractive to ants. Basalt chippings are better suited for the subsoil than paving sand. Seal joints with synthetic resin-based paving mortar. There are good products that are water permeable and effectively suppress ants and weeds.

    frequently asked Questions

    Can ants cause damage in the garden?

    Ants do no harm to plants; they merely milk aphids

    Ants in beds and lawns do not cause any damage. But they show that something is wrong with the plants. Where there are ants, lice are not far away. Terrestrial species feed on the honeydew secreted by root lice. Above-ground ants often prey on aphid secretions. Instead of fighting the ants, you should deprive them of the food source and eliminate the lice infestation.

    What to do against ants in the garden?

    Coffee grounds are a natural remedy that effectively repels ants. However, the method does not always work because the coffee aroma wears off quickly and not all types react equally well to the substance. If the nest disturbs the bed, a massive disturbance can promise help. Poke the ground regularly with a stick until the ants look for alternative quarters. Refrain from eliminating ants. The insects are part of the ecosystem and cannot be eradicated in the garden either.

    What are ants looking for in the garden?

    There are different species of ants that come to the garden for different reasons. Wood ants stray into the human habitat when the forest is in the immediate vicinity. Many ants find optimal feeding conditions in gardens, because cultivated plants are often infested with lice. Lawns provide good habitat conditions for underground ants. They appreciate the humid environment between patchy vegetation.

    Why shouldn't ants be fought?

    Insects are an important part of the ecosystem. It doesn't matter whether it's a garden or a forest. Ants ensure that dead organic material is decomposed. They clean up the soil and aerate the substrate by digging burrows. Ants are an important food source for many creatures. They are eaten by woodpeckers, assassin bugs or ant lions.

    Are there plants that attract ants?

    There are tropical plants that specialize in interacting with ants. They provide food and habitat for insects. In return, ants protect the plants from predators. Such a symbiosis can also be observed in the cherry laurel. The wood has two glands on each petiole that secrete a sugary sap. When production is in full swing in spring, the trees are overrun with ants. These protect their food suppliers by driving away plant pests.

    How do ants hibernate?

    Dwindling light, falling temperatures and food shortages force ants to hibernate. In order for them to survive the freezing temperatures, they have to defecate. Due to the loss of fluid, the remaining body fluids thicken and frostbite is prevented. Many species of ants overwinter in different stages. Both larvae and workers and queens spend the winter under the protection of the nest. Only the wood ants overwinter as adult insects.

Category:

Animals in the garden