Ants Nest?

After I removed some dead pansies from this metal planter several ants came to the surface. Is it likely there's an ants nest in the soil?
I'd intended to reuse the soil but not sure now Any advice would be appreciated

 

If I dumped soil from my planters and replaced every time I saw a few ants I’d be a very poor man …. I have ants nests everywhere around my garden so they get into raised beds, pots, just about everywhere. I just disturb them and they move elsewhere for a while

 

Thanks glosmike I've never come across them before but now I know

 

Ants like dry soil. Give it a good soak and they’ll move on.

 

Seems to be a bumper yr for ants. You could tip the soil out of the container and sieve it. Any ants may well trot off to seek a less disrupted spot.

 

Yes it is a good year for ants. They also love a deep lawn after rain which is why I have numerous flattened ant hills when mowing after being away … my lawn looks like it has lots of cowpats ‍♂️

 

@Dovefromabove the general rule is that ants prefer dry soil but yesterday I removed a tarpaulin that had been put down on a veg area when the builders were in. Under it the ground was very very damp and there was a huge ants nest. We also have had one in the polytunnel that yes does get warm but is watered extensively most days. The ants here seem to like wet!

 

But if they were under a tarp they’d not been getting rained on in the very wet weather we’ve been having until the last few days. Although the ground under the tarp may have been damp it had probably been drier than the surrounding area.

The polytunnels may have been watered but I bet it wasn’t as boggy as most of the ground outside has been this spring.

This spring ants have been building their nests in raised beds and pots even more than usual … higher up and with better drainage.

 

I've found plant pot feet cut down the number of ants getting in and/or nesting.

 

Many thanks Dovefromabove

 

Thank you DiggersJo...the fact that the bottom had rusted so then disintegrated when I moved it won't have helped then?

 

Thank you I'll give it a go