ants on chilli plants

[mic]

howdy

not noticed em before but today seen black ants on the chilli plants. after a google search, some say to leave em as they eat the bad plant bugs. but some people advise getting rid. so which is it?!

cheers

[ESBkevin]

Ants will farm aphids, they suck the fluids out of aphids as food but will protect thier herd to get a constant food source. Most of the time the aphids will be kept to a reasonable level meaning nature is in balance, but not always. Take away the ants and you must then deal with the aphids yourself.