In addition to inadequate delivery of treatment, colonies can continue to thrive for one other simple reason: the queen ant survives. Ant problems don't start in your home, they start in the nest. You might only recognize the problem once the ants have invaded your living space. And while you might think that the more ants you see, the more chance they'll be breeding, this is not the case. The one sole ant in charge of populating the entire colony is the queen. As long as she is unharmed, she can produce more ants to enter your home. The more she makes, the more they need to eat.