Stories
Ants, Plants, and Bodyguards
Here in the rainforests of Tambopata, we see many interesting relationships between different organisms. Some are just smaller than others.
If you think about it, nectar is typically pollinator bait- it draws insects like butterflies, beetles, and flies into the flower to drink, covering them in pollen, and helping the plant reproduce. However, pollination is not the only role that insects can play for plants- they can also be protectors.
What you are glimpsing above is an ant drinking out of an extra-floral nectary (EFN). An EFN is a fancy term for a source of nectar that lies outside the flower. These EFNs are typically located near the base of a leaf, or along an outer branch. Thus, any ant aiming to drink from it has to walk all the way up the entirety of the plant.
Camponotus femoratus ant feeding on an Inga extrafloral nectary. The plant provides the sugar, the ant provides the protection. Photo by Phil Torres
So why have an EFN? Over millions of years, a relationship can form between these ants and plants: the plants provide the nectar, and the ants provide protection. This nectar is even anti-diet specific, containing more sugar, and less amino acids, so they can have the energy to take down any herbivore that happens to attempt to feed on this plant.
The image shows an Inga sp. plant, however other plants can have relationships with ants that are even more complex than this. Some plants provide homes for them, some ants tend honeydew-producing aphid ‘cattle’ on the plants, and some plants even reabsorb and ‘eat’ the anta’ feces!
The ant in the image is only 3mm long. The well it is drinking out of, only about 1mm wide. Size clearly doesn’t matter when it comes to interesting behavior.
See more posts by biologist Phil Torres at www.TheRevScience.com
-
What our guest say
-
- Valuation Excellent
- 5/5
Jacob Shama May 2024
Yaacov May 2024
secaBoulder May 2024
Cecilia D May 2024
Andrea Breanna Apr 2024
A user Apr 2024
Niko Dietsch Apr 2024
Yuting C Apr 2024
Yuting Chen Apr 2024
Víctor Moscoso Apr 2024
Ari S March 2024
Dreamer627120 March 2024
The lodge is located in the middle of the forest accessible only by boat. The experience was very unique and exciting. Service is great, and the fun part are the nature activities and tours the hotel offers for free. We had an amazing tour guide that had a lot of knowledge and was fun to spend time with. The rooms are totally open to the forest which is really cool the struggle is the there is no privacy at all in between the rooms, also food was pretty basic. All together a very unique experience. Read all
This hotel is the perfect blend of comfort and hospitality, with the natural experience. The hotel is reached by a hours boat ride from Puerto Maldonado, expertly organized and accomplished. Most staff are members of the local Esa Ejja community. The food is good and plentiful. Hot water is always available and lovely bedding features mosquito nets. There is of course no air conditioning (one side wall is open in rach room) and the electricity is off for a few hours at night affecting overhead fans, so I was glad to have brought a small battery powered fan for sleeping. But the best of the experience is the wildlife. Our expert guide Oscar Mishaja introduced us to nearly 100 bird species, along with caimans, river otters, poison dart frogs and capybara. A trip of a lifetime. Read all
Excellent experience overall— really kind and welcoming staff at every point of the journey. All transfers were well organized and smooth. Excellent and educational excursions all around the rainforest. Delicious food for every meal. We had wonderful guides- Freet and Alvaro. Enjoyed our time here! Read all
We had a surreal experience at Refugio Amazonas. From the well organized transportation to the warm welcome, hospitality and the experience of living in nature - we loved it all. Huge shout out to our guide Boris who went out of his way to ensure we had a good experience and got to watch all kinds of wild life. The meals and cocktails were delicious. And even though this place is smack in the middle of the jungle there was super fast WiFi available. We made unforgettable memories. Read all
We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. Read all
We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. This is the only lounge available in Tambopata national park, and this eco lounge takes environment seriously. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. If you are a natural lover, you can’t miss this place Read all
Excellent and luxurious place, wonderful experience and our guide Boris was first class, he had a unique patience with my 8 year old son. An experience in the tropical rainforest that marks the life of its visitors. In addition to the scientific research that takes place in the place: a whole research center. Rooms: Very comfortable and luxuriou Read all
El mejor hotel para visitar la Amazonia peruana. Hotel eco turístico metido en medio de la selva, equipado para visitar y vivir la selva, su flora y fauna, en todas sus facetas. Todo incluido, con guías preparados y amables, resultó una experiencia increíble para mi familia. Dentro de las opciones no se debe perder el Canopy de 45 metros de altura para observar y escuchar la selva, así como el lago de las tres Chimbadas, lugar único para ver caimanes, nutrias gigantes, monos y aves exóticas. Recomiendo mínimo dos noches!!! Read all
Wunderbare lodge mit freundlichen Menschen. sehr persönliche guides, tolle Tourangebote und super kulinarische Verpflegung ! Wir wurden herzlichst von Caesar empfangen und unser guide JuanJo hat uns phantastische Dinge gezeigt. Wir können die lodge nur wärmstens empfehlen! Read all
-
January 14, 2013 “Best” High Solar Halos Photos Ever Captured in T...
A boat ride down the Tambopata River in Peru this September took an incredible turn when rare optical phenomena, known as high altitude solar halos, were seen and photographed with...
Read more -
December 07, 2023 Is the Tambopata Research Center experience ideal...
Our eco-lodge is strategically located in the Tambopata National Reserve, facing the Bahuaja Sonene National Park, and is part of a biodiversity corridor that includes the Manu Nat...
Read more -
September 15, 2014 35 Awesome Photos of Rainforest Animals and Wildl...
Lucas Bustamante recently visited our lodges in Tambopata, Peru for a few weeks and took these incredible photos of Amazon rainforest wildlife. ...
Read more