Ant species visiting extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) of Hibiscus pernambucensis were studied in a daily flooded mangrove forest in Picinguaba, Southeast Brazil. Nineteen ant species in five subfamilies were observed visiting the EFNs. The most common species (in order of abundance) were Camponotus sp.2, Brachymyrmex sp. and Pseudomyrmex gracilis during the warm season and Brachymyrmex sp., Camponotus crassus and Camponotus sp.2 during the cold season. A twenty-four hour census showed that ant activity significantly decreased at night, and was positively correlated with air temperature in both seasons. On almost half of the stems no ant was observed and the vast majority of visited stems had only one species present. Less than 1% of sampling sessions showed more than one ant species recorded simultaneously on the same stem. Living termite baits stuck to the plant were attacked by eight ant species. 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