Ants (Hymenoptera)

Ants are not actually a pest of plants. Ants found on plants are generally gathering "honey dew" from aphids. They actually protect aphids from other insects and herd them on the plant to supply the ant colony with food. By eliminating the aphids on the plant, the ants will disappear. Carpenter ants may build nest in old rotting trees but they do not attack live wood. Ants make large colonies in the ground, especially in sandy areas but only create a nuisance.