Some are actual household pests, while others occasion- ally wander in to look for food or water. Ants are often nuisance pests and just their presence can be upsetting. They often get into foods and feed on them. Some species crawl over refuse, carrion or sewage which may afford them an opportunity to carry the causal organisms of some diseases. Food contamination can also occur and may result in allergic reactions by certain sensitive people.
Some ants damage wooden structures, and others undermine slabs or patio stones.
But, we should not forget that ants are beneficial in their natural habitat because they help clean up the environment. They have elbowed antennae, and the gaster is attached to the thorax by a waist that consists of one or two small separated segments. There are three distinct castes of ants - queen, male and worker. There may also be different forms of each caste. Ants always live in societies known as colonies.