Beat up Peonies

[elleng]

4. Yes. I read (and posted) about peonies and ants recently.

Peonies and ants have a mutually beneficial relationship, known as biological mutualism, where the ants benefit from the peony's nectar and the ants protect the flower from other insects. The ants eat the nectar from the peony's buds when they open, and they also help protect the flower from other insects that feed on it. The ants will bite, sting, or toss off other insects that attack the flower. For example, if an aphid tries to invade the peony, the ant will outcompete it. The ants also secrete pheromones that create a trail for other ants to follow to the flower. As each ant finds nectar, it emits an odor that keeps other bugs away.