By Lumiere
United Kingdom 
I have a large number of laurels in the garden & they are all populated with a large number of ants. Some of the laurels are suffering with leaves being eaten around the edges & by sporadic holes. I have checked the laurels over but can only find the ants. Are these the culprits and what can I do to stop the damage?
12 Jun, 2016
It's not the ants causing a problem, but their presence on the bush is an indicator of scale or aphid infestation. Both secrete honeydew, and that's why the ants are present, they're using the honeydew. Examine beneath the leaves (you might need a magnifying glass) and check the woody stems - there are various forms of scale, more info re scale insect, and recommendations for treatment, in the link below
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=224
12 Jun, 2016