Ants are highly successful insects, known for their organized social structures and remarkable adaptability. They thrive in diverse environments across the globe, establishing colonies in numerous ecological niches. Understanding their habitats offers insights into their survival strategies and significant role in ecosystems.
Ants Across the Globe
Ants exhibit a near-global distribution, establishing populations on every continent except Antarctica and a few isolated islands like Greenland and Iceland. Over 13,800 known species exist, with estimates suggesting around 22,000 species. This widespread presence highlights their adaptability, allowing them to flourish in climates from humid tropics to arid deserts and temperate zones. The sheer number of individual ants is staggering, with a conservative estimate placing the global population at approximately 20 quadrillion, collectively weighing more than all wild birds and mammals combined.
Outdoor Habitats
Ants inhabit diverse outdoor environments, constructing nests tailored to their surroundings. In forests, they commonly build nests underground, within decaying wood, or under leaf litter and rocks. Carpenter ants, for instance, excavate galleries within dead or damp wood, creating homes in logs, tree stumps, or even within living trees with decayed sections. Some woodland ants also disperse seeds, carrying them to their nests, leaving the seeds to germinate in nutrient-rich soil.
Grasslands and deserts also host thriving ant populations. Many species create extensive underground tunnel systems that provide shelter from extreme temperatures and predators. Ants in these areas may forage for seeds, other insects, or engage in “aphid farming,” where they protect and tend to colonies of aphids in exchange for a sugary substance called honeydew. This symbiotic relationship, where ants stroke aphids to encourage honeydew secretion, serves as a significant food source for the ant colony. In sandy or gritty soils, ants prefer to nest in drier conditions, often aerating the soil through their tunneling activities.
Ants in and Around Human Dwellings
Ants frequently venture into and around human dwellings, drawn by readily available food, water, and shelter. Indoors, common locations include kitchens and bathrooms, where food residues and moisture are abundant. In kitchens, ants are attracted to crumbs, spills, unsealed food packages, and pet food. They can enter through tiny cracks around windows, doors, and baseboards, or under appliances where food debris might accumulate.
Bathrooms offer a moist, warm environment that attracts many ant species, particularly those seeking water sources. Leaky pipes, condensation, or standing water from showers and sinks create ideal conditions. Soap residues, toothpaste, and even dead skin cells can also serve as food sources. Ants often find entry through small gaps around tiles, pipes, or vents, establishing nests within wall voids where it is humid and protected.
Outdoors around homes, ants commonly establish nests in gardens, under paving stones, beneath house foundations, in lawns, and along sidewalks. Pavement ants, for example, frequently nest under concrete surfaces like sidewalks and driveways, creating visible mounds of displaced soil. These areas provide stable temperatures and protection. Gardens offer ants food sources, such as other insects or honeydew from aphids on plants, and their tunneling can aerate the soil. Carpenter ants may also infest wooden structures around homes, such as decks or window frames, especially if the wood is damp or decaying.