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There’s a lot boiling below those mounds of Thatcher Ants

By Pamela Sleezer, Joint Base Lewis-McChord Public AffairsAugust 16, 2023

There’s a lot boiling below those mounds of Thatcher Ants
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Todd Zuchowski, Fish and Wildlife Branch Chief for Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Public Works – Environmental Division, holds up a stick covered in Thatcher Ants while discussing the insects' positive impact on the local environment. (Photo Credit: Edzel Butac, Joint Base Lewis-McChord Public Affairs   ) VIEW ORIGINAL
There’s a lot boiling below those mounds of Thatcher Ants
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – More than 100,000 mounds of Thatcher Ants, just like this one, can be found across the grounds of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. (Photo Credit: Edzel Butac, Joint Base Lewis-McChord Public Affairs   ) VIEW ORIGINAL
There’s a lot boiling below those mounds of Thatcher Ants
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – This is just one of more than 100,000 mounds of Thatcher Ants that can be found across Joint Base Lewis-McChord. (Photo Credit: Edzel Butac, Joint Base Lewis-McChord Public Affairs   ) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Have you ever wondered about those massive mounds writhing with ants scattered across the grounds of Joint Base Lewis-McChord?

Surprisingly, those mounds of ants provide a valuable service to the areas they occupy. Thatching Ants build their impressive mounds out of decaying materials on the forest floor, providing soil aeration in the process and they are actually predators of other invasive insects.

“So, they’re actually not that bad to have around,” said Todd Zuchowski, Fish and Wildlife Branch Chief for JBLM’s Directorate of Public Works – Environmental Division.

Want to learn more about these interesting insects that have more than 100,000 mounds across JBLM? Check out this fun and informative video filled with facts – including how Thatcher Ants taste. Ever wonder about those large ant mounds on JBLM during your hikes and training exercises? Here’s an informative video about them and why… | Instagram