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1. Sympatric flower visitor species often partition nectar and pollen and thus affect each other's foraging pattern. Consequently, their pollination service may also be influenced by the presence of other flower visiting species. Ants are solely interested in nectar and frequent flower visitors of some plant species but usually provide no pollination service. Obligate flower visitors such as bees depend on both nectar and pollen and are often more effective pollinators. 2. In Hawaii, we studied the complex interactions between flowers of the endemic tree Metrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae) and both, endemic and introduced flower-visiting insects. The former main-pollinators of M. polymorpha were birds, which, however, became rare. We evaluated the pollinator effectiveness of endemic and invasive bees and whether it is affected by the type of resource collected and the presence of ants on flowers. 3. Ants were dominant nectar-consumers that mostly depleted the nectar of visited inflorescences. Accordingly, the visitation frequency, duration, and consequently the pollinator effectiveness of nectar-foraging honeybees ( Apis mellifera) strongly decreased on ant-visited flowers, whereas pollen-collecting bees remained largely unaffected by ants. Overall, endemic bees ( Hylaeus spp.) were ineffective pollinators. 4. The average net effect of ants on pollination of M. polymorpha was neutral, corresponding to a similar fruit set of ant-visited and ant-free inflorescences. 5. Our results suggest that invasive social hymenopterans that often have negative impacts on the Hawaiian flora and fauna may occasionally provide neutral (ants) or even beneficial net effects (honeybees), especially in the absence of native birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Floral nectar of the native Hawaiian ‘ōhi’a tree, Metrosideros polymorpha, is an important food source for several native honeycreepers and yellow-faced bees, Hylaeus spp., but is also attractive to invasive ants. 2. I undertook this study to compare floral visitation patterns of two widespread invasive ants, the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, and the big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala, and to determine their effects on nectar volume and floral hymenopteran visitors. 3. In the first year of the study, Argentine ants visited inflorescences more frequently than big-headed ants at mid-day and in the afternoon, but did not occur in higher densities than big-headed ants at any time of day. In the following year, Argentine ants visited inflorescences both more frequently and in higher densities than big-headed ants. Argentine ant density had a stronger association with nectar concentration than big-headed ant density. 4. Nectar volume did not differ between ant-excluded and ant-visited inflorescences for either ant species. However, ant density was negatively associated with nectar volume for both species. 5. Hylaeus spp. never visited inflorescences with big-headed ants, while non-native honeybees visited inflorescences with and without ants of either species in equal frequency. 6. Most studies of the effects of invasive ants on native arthropods have focused on interactions on the ground. Flowers should not be overlooked as microhabitats from which native arthropods may be displaced by invasive ants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]