Stories
Discovering Insane Mutualism between Ants and Treehoppers (Membracidae)
When you think of the Amazon Rainforest – what do you think of? Usually, the rainforest comes to us in images of color, biodiversity, and an exoticness that echoes in our imaginations. We often think of fauna or birds – colorful macaws and mysterious jaguars.
But when one steps off the boat or plane, one might be surprised to find that the Amazonian ambassador is not the regal jaguar, but rather the treehopper. The little creepy crawlies that dress to impress and though they may be little, a finer representative of biodiversity is not to be found.
To many, the treehoppers’ entire appeal rests on their pronotal ornament (a plate-like modified structure covering the dorsal surface of the thorax). These appendages are bizarre, and their function is still being debated amongst biologists. However, what is known, is that some species use it as a form of physical protection (cage-like pronotum), others as a form of mimicry (ant/wasp-like), and still others as camouflage (thorns, spines, trichomes-like).

Ant farming By Paul Bertner
To stop and watch the rich lives of the treehoppers unfold is one of the many pleasures the rainforest has to offer and the more one looks, the greater the complexity of this small world – they engage in animal husbandry (ant farms), economies of scale (treehoppers and they’re young form large groups catered to by ants), commodity market dynamics (exchange of nutrients for protection) – in a word, mutualism.
While some species of treehopper remain solitary, many have formed a special relationship with a bodyguard that serves and protects their interests and is paid in a kind of gold – honeydew. Understanding where this gold-honeydew comes from and its importance is key to understanding the mutualism that has evolved.

Ant farming By Paul Bertner
An ant gently palpates and crawls over a treehopper providing the stimulus for physical feedback which stimulates the release of honeydew.
The story begins at the bottom of the food chain, where we find the real workhorses of any ecosystem: the plants. The lifeblood of the plant – sap – holds all the nutrients and sugars necessary for survival and growth. It represents a bounty for those daring and evolutionarily ambitious enough to take advantage of it. But this is no easy task because the leaves and stems are often armed with mechanical (spines or trichomes) as well as chemical defenses (tannins, agglutinating proteins, etc. …). So, like the safe-cracker, the treehopper uses specialized tools for the job. (Mutualism between Ants and Treehoppers)
It probes the surface of the plant before using its needle-like modified mouth, the proboscis, to break in and steal sugars. However, the sap is under pressure, and thus puncturing the phloem (which is responsible for nutrient transport) results in an uncontrolled, high-pressure stream. In order to deal with this, the insects must discharge huge volumes of the sap so that they don’t explode. Thus, they filter out the nutrients they need and extrude the rest in the form of a sugary exudate – honeydew, which can either be flicked off or else consumed more directly by attendant insects. And no organism is better poised to take advantage of this supply than the super-organism, the ant.

Ant larvae by Paul Bertner
Mutualism between Ants and Treehoppers…
Over time, a mutually beneficial relationship has evolved, whereby ants, possessing defensive bites and stings, protect the treehoppers which have taken on the biological equivalent of living spigots. The ants will palpate them, move them from one place to another to maximize their productivity, protect them from parasitization and predators, and all to ensure a continuous supply of their precious resource – honeydew.
So, next time you’re in the Amazon, stop a moment, lean in, and smell the flowers. And you just might see that it’s not the jungle rose where sweetest lies, but rather the inconspicuous treehopper, the thorn that’s not a thorn, whose sweetness lies.
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By Paul Bertner
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What our guest say
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- Valuation Excellent
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Sue_szb April 2026
Beam May 2026
David Staro May 2026
Serg Averkin April 2026
Carlotta May 2026
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Wow what an experience! If you want to be fully immersed in Amazon life in a wonderful , comfortable eco lodge, and not have expectations of a 5 star city hotel (I'm not sure why you would, but some reviewers seemed disappointed it wasn't!) you will love this. You will be in a group, 6 in ours, but you don't all have to do the same activities, you just join another group. Plenty of spaces to chill and downtime if you need it...its hot and humid! There's a fan in the room and I heard the superior rooms have a fan under the mozzie net. Take a torch! We were never bitten, used deet repellent only. They provide rubber boots if you want them, some of the trails were very muddy, but we managed in our walking boots. We loved the open wall to the jungle, despite some bugs, but not too many surprisingly. Sooooo much wildlife, all sorts of monkeys, otters, turtles, caiman, different birds, capybara etc. Luis M was our guide, a local, and he could spot a spider from 5 metres I'm sure... great sense of humour and a wealth of knowledge, loved him. We spent 3 nights 20th-24th April, it rained on a couple of occasions but not much. Perfect holiday for an immersive wildlife experience! Read all
Beautiful lodge in the rainforest, very well maintained and clean. We had a lot of fun and excellent guides. The rooms and facilities were top-notch! Read all
We stayed at Posada Amazonas Lodge in May 2026, and it was a truly unique experience. It’s important to note that the concept is unlike a traditional hotel: the rooms (the lodge has around 30 in total) are built entirely of wood and open completely to the rainforest, with no windows. The walls are about two meters high, and everything is open-air, meaning you can hear your neighbors as well as the sounds of the forest throughout the night. There is a hot-water shower with drainage flowing through wooden beams beneath the floor, and the beds are protected with mosquito nets. The food is delicious and nutritious, and one pleasant surprise was the excellent Wi-Fi connection (Starlink) available both at the lodge and on the boats. The logistics are flawless from the moment you land in Puerto Maldonado, including a short car ride (accompanied by a security company) followed by a forty-minute cruise along the Tambopata River. The staff is incredibly friendly. Our guide, Luis M. (a member of the local community that manages the lodge), was simply outstanding, with eagle-eyed vision for spotting wildlife and always wearing a smile. Tour highlights: Canopy Tower: a 42-meter tower rising above the treetops with panoramic views. We loved seeing the river, the rainforest, and even the distant Andes Mountains on the horizon. We returned at night during a nocturnal wildlife tour, where we spotted tarantulas, white sloths, and tree frogs. Lake Tres Chimbadas: a peaceful catamaran ride (without a motor) where Luis showed us a group of red-bellied monkeys, giant otters, and caimans. The scenery and tranquility are incredible. Trek to the “Great Tree”: a forest hike where we saw deer, jaguar tracks, a three-toed sloth, and more wildlife. At the end of the trail, we reached the gigantic ceiba tree: around 500 years old, approximately 60 meters tall, and with an impressive 11-meter base diameter. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to experience the true Amazon! Read all
An exceptional experience that truly exceeded all expectations. What impressed me the most is that here they genuinely want to make your stay as comfortable as possible — and that, to me, is what real high-level service is all about. The guide really tries to fill every excursion with emotions and memorable moments, turning simple activities into meaningful experiences. The kitchen team puts great effort into variety and introduces you to Peruvian cuisine — it feels like a small гастрономic journey. Housekeeping works like invisible bees — you don’t notice them, but everything is always perfectly taken care of. Another big highlight is the comfort level: stable electricity and surprisingly good internet both on the way and at the lodge, powered by Starlink. Having this level of connectivity in the middle of the jungle is something truly special. From reception and the bar to the boat driver — everyone is genuinely warm and happy to have you. You can really feel that each person is a small but important part of one big system delivering outstanding eco-tourism service. Bravo — achieving this level of service in the wild is not easy, and it shows. This experience was very valuable for me and my family. I won’t get tired of thanking you for the emotions you gave us. Highly recommended. Dear travelers — don’t hesitate. Go, enjoy the incredible nature and the level of service. This is something you will remember for a lifetime. Read all
We had the most amazing time at Refugio Amazonas for 3 nights, with a huge thanks to our guide Juan Carlos! On the first afternoon we sat down and planned our activities, which we loved! We came face to face with hundreds of birds, tarantulas, leaf carrying ants spanning 10 meter motorways to work and deliver the leaves to the ant house for food, parasites, and even leaves that cause natural dyes on oxidation - we learned so much. Carlos was genuinly interested in showing us everything the jungle had to offer, humorous and caring too. Carlos knew anything and everything about what was around us, pointing out things and creatures that the untrained eye would miss, carrying a telescope at all times for us to see the birds, ensuring we got magical videos on our phones using the telescope! Read all
Many thanks to Refugio Amazonas for an unforgettable experience! Brenda and team were so wonderful and accommodating, and Alan was a great guide. Thank you for a memorable experience! :) Read all
We had an excellent time at Tambopata research center. We are tourists like most who now visit the center, but it’s great to know that you can support research and the local community by visiting a place like this. Our guide for our trip, Esau, was extremely knowledgeable and showed great passion for his job. He described it as a hobby and he would get very excited if you spotted a specific bird or a tree. His specific knowledge about each and every creature in the forest was very impressive and I would recommend asking for Esau to be your guide in the future if you plan to visit. The hotel itself is unique. You are in the middle of the Amazon rainforest - the accessibility to nature is second to none. There are no windows in the hotel rooms. We had bugs in our room, of course, but the mosquito nets keep everything out and, actually, we both slept very well. The bar staff, Harrison, is very knowledgeable with drinks and works very hard. The food isn’t the best you’re ever going to have, but you have to remind yourself you are in the middle of the rainforest and that it takes a 6 hour round trip to get to the nearest town, and so the job that the hotel does in respect of the food is actually intuitive and very good. I would recommend this hotel to my peers and I would love to visit again in a few years time. Read all
We just finished a 4-night stay at Tambopata Research Center and it was the highlight of our entire Peru trip. From the first email with Mariella to being picked up at the airport to the actual stay itself, every step was smooth and every employee was attentive. Having never stayed in a lodge like this (this remote or exclusive), we were a little nervous about what to expect. Our guide, Timo was INCREDIBLE at tailoring all the activities to us. When he found out we liked more adventurous hikes, he took us on walks through swamps, bamboo forests, and little-used trails while always keeping an eye out for monkeys, birds, and insects. His knowledge of the wildlife, plants, and history of the area was beyond what we hoped for and he truly made the experience worth it. Read all
Spent 4 nights in mid April. I had high expectations and was not disappointed. Our guide Carmen picked us up at the airport and we saw monkeys already on our way to the lodge. We had a wonderful stay with exceptional food and activities everyday. Our guide Carmen was great and our itinerary was based on her suggestions however we could decide on what we would like to see. Wildlife is abundant, however, sometimes difficult to spot and photograph due to the low light. It rained a lot despite April being considered a transitioning time to dry season. But come on ... it's the rainforest. The clear highlight are the macaws which you can hear all time and also see from the tower and at the leks. Read all
This trip was the highlight of our travels through peru. The lodge was absolutely 5 stars for everything. The room, food, people. We had a private guide, Allen, who grew up locally and really had deep knowledge of the land, the history, and the variety of plant and animal species in the jungle. His knowledge and passion were invaluable to our experience. There are a variety of tour companies and lodges you can book to visit the Amazon, however, I would only recommend Rainforest Expeditions as they are truly connected to the community and offer high quality first class amazon experience! Read all
We had a truly wonderful stay with Rainforest Expeditions. Everyone was incredibly kind and welcoming, and our guide was fantastic — very knowledgeable and passionate about the rainforest. We saw many animals, even from the boat, which made the experience unforgettable. Read all
I just spent 3 days here with my family. The research center surpassed all our expectations. I want to give a special shout out to Carlos who took such good care of us. He went above and beyond to make sure we werr comfortable. And he was always smiling. He made us feel so welcome. We had Erik as our guide who is so knowledgeable and experienced. We learned so much, saw so much wildlife. It really was a dream vacation. Thank you!! Read all
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