Try watering. Ants like dry conditions.

Linda

Agree. Water well. Should you be worried about them? Not unless there is a really major infestation of the whole bed. Ants are beneficials in many ways.

Dave

Thanks! I doused them with water yesterday, hoping that does the trick. Just don't want the ants damaging the plants in any way. They are present in the whole bed, but not overrunning it. Just got a little surprise seeing the anthills.

They seem to like to set up shop under a plant like you've seen. I see them do the same thing under some of my Sempervivums. I believe they find the structure of the plant somewhat protective. So far I haven't noticed any damage, although I suspect they're excavating soil and opening air tunnels around the roots, which doesn't seem helpful. Still... no harm no foul I guess. However, I had problems again this year with them chewing the stems off my Brassica starts... but that's a different story.

i don't know, i am curious about them too, i suspect there are many kinds of ants and some may be beneficial, my ants are stacking up wood chips around the crown, i built an elaborate terraced structure for my strawberries and the ants seem to like it. Also, they dont seem to do any damage. as yet there are no aphid and they dont eat my berries. i used the hose to spray off mound. but they built it again after they gave me a dirty look. i am going to leave them alone as long as they are not causing any trouble.