Ants and peonies - is there a relationship?

A black ant taking sugary nectar from a peony flower bud.

You've heard of this one, right?  Peonies need ants in order to bloom.  No ants, no peony flowers.  Well, that is a myth, and it is completely false.  If you grew peonies without ants being present, the flowers would bloom just fine.  So, what's the deal with ants?

It turns out that there is mutualism involved between these gorgeous flowers and the smaller members of the Hymenoptera.  The reason that ants frequent peony flower buds is to collect the sugars and other nutrients present on the growing structure.  So the ants benefit, but what about the plant?  If the blooms are not in danger from ant help, why would it surrender those resources?

Protection.  It seems that peonies are in the protection racket. "Hey buddy, if you want to come around here to do your business, you are going to do me a favour, see?  You keep those other bugs away from me and I will provide the goods."  The ants help the developing blossoms by keeping pests at bay.  The plant returns the solicitude by providing nectar from the buds.  Mutualism, although the mob maybe wouldn't operate in quite this way.  That particular form of interaction would be more like parasitism.

So, the next time you hear someone espousing the required service of ants to facilitate peonies blooming, you can correct them.  Gently, of course.  

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com

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