“hearty amount of jam”

Annnnnd now I have slugs and ants.

Slug diplomat makes agreement with ant diplomat.
Ants carry away salt.
Slugs share jam.
OP unwittingly made bug super alliance.
but what’s in it for the Amts? They do all the work and habe to share their bounty.
It’s classic slug politics where they throw their weight around on the international stage.