Name: Rick Corey Everett WA 98204 (Zone 8a) Sunset Zone 5. Koppen Csb. Eco 2f
One year, the first year I grew lavatera, the plants were heavily covered with ants after they flowered. I haven't noticed many ants on the plants since then.
Maybe there were a lot of aphids that year, and the ants were chasing the honeydew.