'We feel very protective of them,' say neighbours of massive ant colony in Metchosin, B.C.

It's a landmark that people living in one Metchosin, B.C., neighbourhood say has been around for at least 30 to 40 years: a huge colony of ants on the side of Happy Valley Road.

But drivers who don't know it’s there might miss it.

"It’s been around since I’ve lived here for about 30 years," said Jessica Neff, who lives on Happy Valley Road.

It even has its own sign. "This is our version of high density-housing," said Metchosin Mayor John Ranns.

According to Rob Higgins, an associate professor of biology at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C., there are likely tens of thousands of thatching ants inside.

"They will open up entrances in the top of that thatch in order to let heat out on hot days," Higgins said.

"And on cold days they will close up the entrances to trap the heat."

The ant colony in Metchosin, B.C., is pictured. June 7, 2022. (CTV News)

Higgins says all of the worker ants are females – something that people often get a kick out of.

"Because they think that I have some incredible eyesight that I can see ant genitalia, but if it’s a worker, it’s a female," said Higgins.

Inside the colony, there are multiple queens that only breed once in their lifetime, the associate professor said.

Ranns admits he knows very little about the ants and wasn’t even aware of the ant hill on the side of the road until CTV News contacted him about it.

But he says they are all welcome to stay.

"The soils underneath the ant hills are always quite enriched so that’s why you often see them up against the old growth Douglas fir," the mayor said.

"We feel very protective of them," said Kevin Cordingley, who lives next door to the massive ant hill.

The ants are an integral part of the ecosystem. They will eat all the defoliating insects from nearby trees. As well, they themselves are a food source for bears and birds.

The ants pose zero risk to humans.

"They don’t have very strong jaws," said Higgins. "They can’t break human skin." 

The ant colony in Metchosin, B.C., is pictured. June 7, 2022. (CTV News)