this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2026

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Why there is so many ants interested in this plant? what are they doing? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 7 months ago by sun_is_ra@sh.itjust.works to c/askbiologists@lemmy.world

7 comments fedilink hide all child comments

If you look at the bottom side of the leaves you'll see lot of ants. They are mostly stationary. Wonder what are they up to

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[–] zer0squar3d@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 7 months ago (1 child)

I was going to say farming but i dont see aphids or any other farmed insect.

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[–] sun_is_ra@sh.itjust.works [S] 1 point 7 months ago

yes that was my first guess but as you said no aphid

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Grape vine.

There's no grapes yet, but the hive is likely close because eventually, there's gonna be some grapes.

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[–] sun_is_ra@sh.itjust.works [S] 2 points 7 months ago (1 child)

Its a lufa plant

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

Ok, maybe they just need cleaning supplies?

/s

But yeah, probably the same thing, it's a plant that grows massive vegetables. All sorts of wildlife are drawn to plants that grow food, even if there's no food yet.

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[–] TheIvoryTower@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago (1 child)

Sometimes if ants have a favourite tree with aphids, they will protect the tree from climbing vines and competition.

Are they interacting with the plant, or just chilling on there?

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[–] sun_is_ra@sh.itjust.works [S] 3 points 7 months ago

If they are damaging the climbing plant then they must be doing it realllly slow because they've been there for days and no significant damage to the leaves.

If anything I am sharp decline in caterpillars feeding on the plant though I can't tell if its because of the ants or because I am so good at picking them up

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