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The attitude towards ants can be twofold. In some cases it is believed that they have a beneficial effect on the environment, while in others it is claimed that ants can only cause huge problems. The benefit of ants is that they destroy harmful insects that can cause damage to crops in the garden. However, when ants begin to consume the product that humans struggle to grow, there is a desire to get rid of these pests as quickly as possible.
What benefits do ants bring to the site?
In fact, the benefits of ants are undeniable. These insects live in colonies and provide valuable services in the garden. They feed on a variety of caterpillars, mites and other pests, helping to control them. A colony of ants from one anthill can destroy more than 2 thousand harmful insects in the garden. In addition, ants remove dead pests and larvae of other insects, which helps reduce their numbers.
Ants also serve as a food source for various species of birds. The ability of ants to travel long distances facilitates the transfer of seeds of useful plants. In the garden, they provide significant assistance in improving the soil, loosening it and enriching it with oxygen necessary for plant growth.
Before creating anthills, ants carefully examine the soil, preferring clean and fertile areas. The presence of ants in your area can be a sign of favorable conditions for growing plants.
More information about the benefits of ants for soil
The presence of an anthill on your personal property can cause different impressions. Many people view ants as pests without paying attention to their positive effects. Let's look at the benefits of ants.
Ants are rightly called “the orderlies of the forest.” They significantly improve the quality of the soil, making it more favorable for growing plants both in the forest and in the garden. Ants contribute to the rapid decomposition of dry trees and stumps, free the forest from dry leaves and effectively destroy caterpillars that pose a threat to plants. Their activities also include creating underground depressions up to 70 cm deep, which exceeds the capabilities of worms, which can penetrate only 20 cm deep into the soil.
The process of moving ants underground leads to the enrichment of the soil with the following useful elements:
- Humus (or humus), which enriches the soil.
- Nitrogen, an important macronutrient that evaporates easily from fertile soil.
- Potassium, which helps strengthen plant immunity.
- Phosphorus, beneficial for plant growth.
- Magnesium, which affects germination and resistance to fungal diseases.
Plants, saturated with these beneficial substances, receive the vitamins necessary for their health and growth. It is obvious that ants contribute to the abundance of vegetation in the places where they are present.
What is the use of ants in forests?
Ants choose their anthills in rotten stumps or trees that are at the stage of decomposition. Inhabiting decaying structures, they actively participate in the process of their decomposition. Clearing the forest of debris and fallen leaves, the ants transfer the finds to their anthills, where they decompose faster under the influence of increased humidity and temperature inside, as well as due to the action of special bacteria present in the anthill.
Plants also benefit from ants, which play an important role in seed dispersal. Ants carry seeds of various plants, which contributes to their distribution throughout the forest. They are effective seed carriers for a variety of plants, including violets (with over 700 species), celandine (a plant in the poppy family), thyme (beneficial for a variety of ailments) and chives (a food plant), as well as many other species.
Thus, ants play a key role in maintaining the ecosystem by accelerating the decomposition of organic material and contributing to the diversity of vegetation in nature.
Ants against pests
Ants make an important contribution to the maintenance of ecosystems, and their beneficial functions are not limited to soil improvement and seed distribution. They also play a role in clearing nature of the remains of pests that can have a negative impact on plants. Areas where anthills are present have reduced numbers of harmful parasites that can have detrimental effects on native vegetation. Sometimes ants even specifically inhabit certain areas in order to reduce the number of harmful organisms and improve soil fertility.
Are ants beneficial for animals?
Ants can become food for some animals. For birds, ants can also become healers, because as is known, the formic acid secreted by these same ants benefits their body.
What benefits do ants bring to the garden?
Gardeners' opinions on this issue are divided. On the one hand, ants can cause damage to the garden by promoting aphids and increasing soil acidity, which stunts the development of plants, including sweet fruit and vegetable crops.
On the other hand, the positive aspects of the presence of ants on the site are highlighted:
- Deep anthills create high soil moisture, enriching it with oxygen and nutrients, which has a beneficial effect on the growth of plants that require high-quality care.
- Ants help kill slugs and other pests, providing natural insect control. Just ants from an anthill can destroy thousands of pests in a day.
- Ants add useful microelements to the soil, improving its fertility.
If an anthill is found on the site, it is worth carefully assessing the benefits and harms before taking measures to combat it.
Do ants harm people?
The harm from ants, given their beneficial effects on the environment, is not so significant.
Since ancient times, the usefulness of formic acid in the treatment of various diseases, such as:
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- Neurosis;
- Atrophic arthritis;
- Dizziness;
- Insomnia;
- Hepatitis, etc.
Ants are used to create medicinal ointments and drugs that fight various infections.
However, sometimes ants can enter a home and cause damage by destroying food, damaging furniture, and multiplying. At the first sign of ants appearing in a living space, it is important to carry out urgent treatment. In this case, you should choose drugs that are safe for human health and effective in killing ants.
F.A.Q.
What are the benefits of ants for humans?
Ants found in a vegetable garden or garden should not be considered pests. On the contrary, these insects play an important role in maintaining the ecosystem on your site. They are actively involved in the destruction of flies, mites, pest larvae and other insects that can damage the crop. Ants display an amazing ability to cope with any prey, which is a reminder of their strong natural resilience. This phenomenon can be associated with the famous fable "The Dragonfly and the Ant", emphasizing the ability of ants to overcome difficulties.
In addition, ants have a beneficial effect on the soil, loosening it and promoting saturation with oxygen and nutrients. This has a positive effect on the quality of plants grown on your site. Interestingly, formic acid secreted by these insects has medicinal properties and can be used in the treatment of certain human diseases.
How are ants useful in forests?
In forests, ants play an important ecological role. They actively destroy harmful insects, preventing their destructive effects on forests and vegetation. In addition, ants serve as food for birds, acting as environmental health workers. In nutrition, ants help birds maintain their bodies by getting rid of pests.
Why are ants needed?
Ants play a key role in nature, making a significant contribution to improving the soil in the garden, forest or local area. Their activities help improve soil fertility, loosen it and enrich it with useful elements. Ants also speed up the decomposition of destroyed stumps and dead trees by moving away from groundwater. The discovery of anthills on the site indicates favorable conditions for growing plants.
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