It is definitely a mixed blessing about the crazy ants. We have lots of them down here and they do love the insulation on conduit and it seems they get a 'charge' out of being around electricity too. In these old stone houses they get in the wiring tubes that are in the walls and pop out at outlets and switches. I have to have the exterminator come every couple months and put powder in all the electrical outlets to keep them under control. The bad thing is that, like fire ants, they bite. The bites are itchy and painful for a couple days. I have more of a reaction to those than to mosquitoes. I wish we could take a giant vacuum to the planet and remove the ants, fleas, ticks and mosquitoes - I can't think of anything positive about any of them.
As for leaf cutter ants, they may not swallow but they sure strip a plant quickly and chew up the leaves. They chew them into a glop and grow a fungus on them that they eat. Makes no difference whether they eat it or not, they destroy the plant and haul away the leaves. I put out bait as soon as I see the damage start and even then it is usually large, they can strip a whole area of the yard in one night. As far as I am concerned there is not one single good thing about any kind of ant.
It might help to move the ants out of the pots if you put a small amount of dishwashing liquid in the water, it will keep them from having pockets of air. I also use coffee grounds to discourage them from setting up nests in pots. They don't seem to like it and generally will move out if I cover the area with used coffee.
