Ants which live in and around plants have a potential to increase or decrease plant fitness depending upon their interaction with herbivores, pollinators and seed dispersers. Ants can be benefical at certain stages and also can be detrital at certain stages, leading to a complex network of interactions among the ants, herbivores and pollinators during flowering and fruit development. Positive effects of the Ants: Ants did not pollinate the flowers but do show the ability to contribute in higher pollination success, by increasing the relocation frequency of the winged pollinators and thus the rate of flower visitation. Furthermore, ants also protect the fruit from the herbivorous insects. Thus, the attendence of ants on the plants increase pollination rate and also fruit set. Many plants produce nectar to attract ants because ants protect the leaves, flowers and developing fruits from herbivorous insects and parasites. Negative effects of ants on the plants: Ants aids in the removal of ripe fruits by avian frugivores. Thus, the ants attendance halts the plants reproduction. Ants also steal the nectar of the plants. Floral Repellance against the ants: Many plant species produce extrafloral nectar (EFN), which actively attracts ants which may be sited to encourage ants to patrol vulnerable areas such as new growth, inflorescence. Attracting ant may be detrital to some plants. Being flightless, the ant cannot help in pollination and may also reduce the viability of the pollen due to antibiotic secretions used in nest hygiene. Moreover, they may reduce the visitation rate and disrupt pollination by stealing the nectar or threatening incoming pollinators, which ultimately results in decreased seed set. This is more damaging where the plants are dependent on limited supply of outcrossed pollen. For this reason, the ants are repelled by certain flower species in response to contact with the mecahnical barriers, the trichomes, or through other chemical deterrants including fower scent. Thus, the obligate flower visitors wil be attracted towards the flower scent while the facultative visitors such as ants will be repelled. Solution Ants which live in and around plants have a potential to increase or decrease plant fitness depending upon their interaction with herbivores, pollinators and seed dispersers. Ants can be benefical at certain stages and also can be detrital at certain stages, leading to a complex network of interactions among the ants, herbivores and pollinators during flowering and fruit development. Positive effects of the Ants: Ants did not pollinate the flowers but do show the ability to contribute in higher pollination success, by increasing the relocation frequency of the winged pollinators and thus the rate of flower visitation. Furthermore, ants also protect the fruit from the herbivorous insects. Thus, the attendence of ants on the plants increase pollination rate and also fruit set. Many plants produce nectar to attract ants because.

1. Ants which live in and around plants have a potential to increase or decrease plant fitness
depending upon their interaction with herbivores, pollinators and seed dispersers. Ants can be
benefical at certain stages and also can be detrital at certain stages, leading to a complex network
of interactions among the ants, herbivores and pollinators during flowering and fruit
development.
Positive effects of the Ants: Ants did not pollinate the flowers but do show the ability to
contribute in higher pollination success, by increasing the relocation frequency of the winged
pollinators and thus the rate of flower visitation. Furthermore, ants also protect the fruit from the
herbivorous insects. Thus, the attendence of ants on the plants increase pollination rate and also
fruit set. Many plants produce nectar to attract ants because ants protect the leaves, flowers and
developing fruits from herbivorous insects and parasites.
Negative effects of ants on the plants: Ants aids in the removal of ripe fruits by avian frugivores.
Thus, the ants attendance halts the plants reproduction. Ants also steal the nectar of the plants.
Floral Repellance against the ants:
Many plant species produce extrafloral nectar (EFN), which actively attracts ants which may be
sited to encourage ants to patrol vulnerable areas such as new growth, inflorescence. Attracting
ant may be detrital to some plants. Being flightless, the ant cannot help in pollination and may
also reduce the viability of the pollen due to antibiotic secretions used in nest hygiene. Moreover,
they may reduce the visitation rate and disrupt pollination by stealing the nectar or threatening
incoming pollinators, which ultimately results in decreased seed set. This is more damaging
where the plants are dependent on limited supply of outcrossed pollen. For this reason, the ants
are repelled by certain flower species in response to contact with the mecahnical barriers, the
trichomes, or through other chemical deterrants including fower scent. Thus, the obligate flower
visitors wil be attracted towards the flower scent while the facultative visitors such as ants will
be repelled.
Solution
Ants which live in and around plants have a potential to increase or decrease plant fitness
depending upon their interaction with herbivores, pollinators and seed dispersers. Ants can be
benefical at certain stages and also can be detrital at certain stages, leading to a complex network
of interactions among the ants, herbivores and pollinators during flowering and fruit
development.
Positive effects of the Ants: Ants did not pollinate the flowers but do show the ability to
contribute in higher pollination success, by increasing the relocation frequency of the winged

2. pollinators and thus the rate of flower visitation. Furthermore, ants also protect the fruit from the
herbivorous insects. Thus, the attendence of ants on the plants increase pollination rate and also
fruit set. Many plants produce nectar to attract ants because ants protect the leaves, flowers and
developing fruits from herbivorous insects and parasites.
Negative effects of ants on the plants: Ants aids in the removal of ripe fruits by avian frugivores.
Thus, the ants attendance halts the plants reproduction. Ants also steal the nectar of the plants.
Floral Repellance against the ants:
Many plant species produce extrafloral nectar (EFN), which actively attracts ants which may be
sited to encourage ants to patrol vulnerable areas such as new growth, inflorescence. Attracting
ant may be detrital to some plants. Being flightless, the ant cannot help in pollination and may
also reduce the viability of the pollen due to antibiotic secretions used in nest hygiene. Moreover,
they may reduce the visitation rate and disrupt pollination by stealing the nectar or threatening
incoming pollinators, which ultimately results in decreased seed set. This is more damaging
where the plants are dependent on limited supply of outcrossed pollen. For this reason, the ants
are repelled by certain flower species in response to contact with the mecahnical barriers, the
trichomes, or through other chemical deterrants including fower scent. Thus, the obligate flower
visitors wil be attracted towards the flower scent while the facultative visitors such as ants will
be repelled.