Unique design of the anti ant bowls makes it impossible for ants and other crawlies to get into your pets food. The anti-ant dish works by holding the outside of the bowl off the ground slightly and the middleof the bowl is actually extended to keep it from being directly on the ground. Bowls should be kept out in the open on a flat surface and they should not be against a wall or under anything (e.g. tree, table, etc.) because that may allow the ants to crawl or drop into the bowl from the alternate surface.