Do ants pollinate cashew flowers? An observation on flower damage and nectar thieving by Crematogaster subnuda Mayr.

Abstract

Ant-plant associations are greatly diverse leading to mutualistic and/or antagonistic interactions between them. In general, ants are considered as minor pollinators. Ant pollination is rare and restricted to a few plant species. The cashew trees are consistently visited by diverse species of ants. During a survey in the cashew plantations, damage to the reproductive parts of cashew flowers was observed and the ants were noticed in such damaged flowers. This document presents details about nectar thieving by Crematogaster subnuda in the cashew flowers and the damage caused to the reproductive parts.