I think that is a big part of it. There appears to be no consideration that those "hard working" ants are not pure good for the colony. They're burning signif

I think that is a big part of it. There appears to be no consideration that those "hard working" ants are not pure good for the colony. They're burning significant energy. And if that energy is being burned in counter-productive or non-productive ways, they are a net harm to the colony, not a benefit.