
Ants as horrible as they are in the home are actually very benificial insects in the garden. The British black garden ant is a scavenger insect in the garden. It clears up dead organic material and will also kill and eat pest insects that eat plants.
It’s unfortunate they have such a taste for sugar and find there way in to our homes. They are a fascinating social insect and live in colonies of many thousands. They are closely related to the bees and wasps which both also provide benificial garden services. One is a pollinator, the other a pest controller.