Many species have painful stings, which for allergic people can be lethal
They frequently raid food
They cause massive infrastructural damage
Several species are invasive and disrupt ecosystems
Many are even mechanical pathogen vectors, especially in settings like hospitals
And yet, there is not a massive hatred of ants like there is for wasps and cockroaches. There aren’t people on social media calling for the extinction of ants, you rarely see people perform acts of spiteful performative cruelty on ants, no one is calling ants “satan”, etc. In fact, you often see the opposite. Ants are frequently protagonists in media, admired for their ‘teamwork’, etc. Ant keeping is a semi mainstream hobby, you aren’t considered a weirdo like someone who keeps cockroaches.
It is you. Ants, like wasps and cockroaches, include a few species which are a negative influence on humans and many species which are not. You could say the same for flowers and mammals.
You are missing the point. Its not just about the effects of ants on humans. Its about their mismatch between what they do and how they are perceived. It is correct that in ants, wasps, cockroaches, etc it is only a small number of species in each group that are harmful. And yet, I frequently see intense hatred of wasps and cockroaches everywhere and said people will refuse to hear you out on the the distinction between different species. I have never seen anyone hate ants in this manner.
Definitely my least favorite group of the animal kingdom. Too many times I’ve picked a plastic bag containing a seedling only to be attacked by a hoard of black fire ants that had set up a home there. Super painful. I know of no one in my line of work who thinks positively about ants. Only venomous snakes have a worse reputation.
Actually, my granny hated ants. She would boil a kettle and pour it on the crack in the yard that the ants came out of. I don’t think it was rational. They didn’t do her any harm. So I take it back - it isn’t just you. Its you and my granny.
Well, I don’t hate ants. I like ants, like all bugs. I am just perplexed that ants dont have nearly as bad a reputation as wasps, cockroaches, spiders, etc
The funny thing is, if people actually bothered to look into the social structure of wasps or cockroaches, they could find many admirable qualities among them too.
I don’t know many people who would speak positively about ants. Especially in the areas of the US where fire ants are present. Not only are they somewhat agressive and have painful bites, they actually have some bizzare attraction to electronics. If they can get in, they can gunk up electrical systems and cause circuits to short out and fry.
I do not know where you are located or to whom you are speaking, but if you read that wasp thread, you will find people doing just that, admiring wasps (again, the cockroaches are on their own).
Here where I am, east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, ants are not beloved. I have observed at least 14 species of ants, at least 4 of which are invasive. Many are quite aggressive.
I have seen ants discover a dead bat and I have come back only a few hours later to find it fully stripped to its skeleton because of their swiftness in work. I have also seen them attack native bee colonies and a native wasp nest, killing all. If I ask my neighbors, they will give me multiple solutions for how to kill ant nests and they will also give me advice for how to attract honey wasps because the wasps protect citrus trees from a certain insect that plagues them. This is to say I think attitudes may vary by locality.
My own rules are simple: cross my home’s threshold as an ant and my vinegar bottle comes out, because that kills an ant on the spot and removes any scent trails it may have left. Wasps and other winged friends I gently coax back outdoors while cooing to them lovingly. (Thankfully no roaches but they would not fare well.)
This got me curious. After some minor googling (not going to spend loads of time on this) I found a facebook post claiming they’re attracted to the heat. They might short out the equipment, or possibly secrete formic acid and degrade circuit boards.
I’m not sure what it is that attracts them to the electronics in the first place, but from what I’ve read, when one dies, it releases an alarm pheromone that attracts others (that then also get electrocuted and release more pheromone). It’s an interesting trait, though, that they featured in Disney’s recent documentary series ‘A (Real) Bug’s Life ’. It’s a little excessive with the CGI on some parts, but it’s an enjoyable little series. Awkwafina does the narration.
Proverbs 6:6-8 King James Version
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
Ants in electronics ? Our Cape winters are that little bit cool enough that ants shelter in electronics that are switched on - we lost a CD player to a colony of ants. Now we keep an eye on our router.
One of my favourite insects is the Cape mountain cockroach. They run a kindergarten with a few mothers and all the little ones. (You can keep the ‘German and American’ ones). We also have zebra cockroaches (those are, okay, because they are distinctive enough to name at least)