Myrmecophily translates directly to "ant love" in latin - this is the term applied to positive interspecies associations between ants and a variety of other organisms, such as plants and other insects. You may have heard about ants protecting aphids and scale insects in exchange for nutrients in the form of honeydew, a sugary fluid excreted by many insects. Ant woodlice keep nests clean by feeding on droppings and rove beetles mimic the pheromones of their ant hosts to share their nest in harmony.
Do you know that some plants grow specific high-energy 'Beltian bodies' at the tips of their leaves for resident ants to feed upon? Take a look at ants feeding these carrot-like growths to their young. In return these insects protect the plant from intruding vines and by destroying insect eggs laid on the leaves which would produce damaging pests. In addition, the waste left behind by the ants provides nutrients to the plant. It's a win-win situation, what's not to love?
