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FACT BRIEF

Are antlions harmful to plants and gardens?

By Ryan Thorpe
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NO

Antlions are harmless to plants, people and structures according to the University of Nebraska’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Antlions are an insect species that thrive in hot, dry environments. They are found throughout gardens and near homes in Fort Worth, where they flourish in summer months, according to the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge.

The insect uses its sharp jaws to catch ants and other crawling bugs. 

Antlions dig funnel-shaped pits next to fences, house walls or other fixtures near dry soil in areas protected from direct rainfall. 

Young antlions wait at the bottom of these funnels, which are designed to trap ants as they walk along slanted pit walls. 

Antlions are harmless to humans but clear other insects from gardens.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Antlions
Friends of the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge A Tiny Predator of Summer
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The Fort Worth Report is a 501(c)(3) organization that launched April 12, 2021. This new media outlet is built on a foundation of local leadership and local investment. It provides community-sourced journalism that exclusively supports and reports on the Fort Worth community with fact-based, thoughtful and contextual coverage without bias or predetermined agendas. The enterprise is governed by a mission statement, bylaws, and an organizational structure that ensures it remains faithful to these foundational principles.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.