ABSTRACT
Terrestrial food chains and webs are composed of at least three trophic levels: plants, herbivores, and natural enemies (Price et al. 1980). Since the beginning of life on earth, plants and insects have evolved beneficial or detrimental interactions (Dethier 1976; Daly et al. 1978). The majority of ecological studies demonstrated that insects and plants do not simply live together, but rather interact, suffer the consequences of these interactions, and adapt interdependently (Schoonhoven 1990). Insects benefit plants through pollination or when they live in association with them, such as ants living on acacia plants protecting them against other insects and vertebrates herbivores and in return receiving food and shelter (Janzen 1966).
