It's also possible those ants are there to take advantage of the extra-floral nectaries, where the plant exudes nectar specifically to attract ants, who in turn protect the plants from herbivorous insects. If you look closely at the squarish stems, each side is shaped like a little ant highway, and at the base of the petioles, where the leaf stem joins the main stem, there are a pair of little triangular stipules, each with a brownish black spot--that's the sweet spot. If the ants are hanging out there, and not tending an aphid herd, they're actually helping protect your crop.