Page 34 - feb 22_Neat

Creatures in the garden - ants

When playing a game of word association, I think the word ‘ants’ might be followed
by ‘doom’, or ‘blue death’. But really this shouldn’t be the case as ants play an
important role in the environment. They till the soil by bringing pebbles and
particles to the top, aerating the soil, allowing water and oxygen to reach plant roots.
They are important in seed dispersal, and pollination, plus they eat a wide variety of
organic material. Ants act as decomposers by feeding on organic waste, insects or
other dead animals. They help keep the environment clean. Carpenter ants (Camponotus
species), which make their nests in dead or diseased wood, considerably accelerate the
decomposition process of timber. After the ants leave, fungi and bacteria grow in the
galleries and break down the lignin and cellulose on large surfaces.

Ants are a source of food for many invertebrates and vertebrates, including woodpeckers
and other garden-loving birds. And while we love to hate them, especially when they build
anthills in our lawns, or eat the roots of a loved plant, they are actually more beneficial than
what we commonly think. Ants also form special relationships with different plants like
Acacia trees. The Acacia trees provide food and accommodation and the ants return this
favour by protecting the plants against herbivores.

Matabele ants are a key factor in termite population control too. They lay siege to the
termite colonies and eat them. According to myrmecologist Erik T. Frank who was
mentioned in the National Geographic, and Proceedings of the Royal Society B, these ants
also carry their wounded home after a raid. Back at the nest, ants take turns caring for their
injured comrades, gently holding the hurt limb in place with their mandibles and front legs