I found a hive of activity going on in my garden around these globe shaped buds, in fact it was hard to find a peony bud or flower that didn't have an ant sitting on it. Ants are attracted to the sweet nectar that is secreted by peony buds via extrafloral nectaries.
Ants have colonised almost every landmass on Earth. The only places lacking indigenous ants are Antarctica and a few remote or inhospitable islands. Ants thrive in most ecosystems and may form 15–25% of the terrestrial animal biomass. Their success in so many environments has been attributed to their social organisation and their ability to modify habitats, tap resources, and defend themselves.
Source Wikipedia
@everlove.