Seed Harvester Ants Tilling The Container Garden Soil In The Desert Like Earth Worms In The Forest

Seed Harvester Ants Tilling The Container Garden Soil In The Desert Like Earth Worms In The Forest

I have to be careful in the garden once it starts warming up here in the desert. These red colored seed harvester ants tend to intensively colonize my gardens both to scavenge for loose seeds and to take advantage of the fact that I'm regularly watering them so they have a constant supply of hydration. I have to wear gloves and watch out for them as they bite and sting, but I'm very grateful for them because they do the work that earth worms would be doing in more temperate climate soils. In the desert, the ants rather than the worms do the work of tiling the soil, but in a very natural and sustainable way. Their activity in the soil is vital to soil health so I'm glad to be in partnership with them, even if they attack me if and when my guard is down.