Ants are a common garden nuisance, but they can also be beneficial to your plants and garden. However, in certain cases ants can actually become pests that damage or even kill potted plants. Ants often feed on the sugary secretions of plant sap-feeding insects like aphids and scale insects. If these pests are present on your potted plants, then it is likely that the ants will attempt to harvest them for food which may harm or even kill the plant over time. In addition to this, some ant species have been known to construct underground tunnels near potting soil which may cause root damage by disrupting water flow within the container. To prevent any negative effects from occurring due to ant infestations, it is important to identify what type of ant species you are dealing with and take appropriate measures such as using insecticides or baits designed specifically for controlling ants around your potted plants.