Ants and scales: Only had fill flash on camera when taking these. couldnt shield from wind. Ants are 6mm, scale insects are on an Elk horn fern. The scales suck sap from plant and...

evenic Loc: South Australia

Only had fill flash on camera when taking these. couldnt shield from wind. Ants are 6mm, scale insects are on an Elk horn fern.
The scales suck sap from plant and excrete a sweet sugary fluid known as honey dew. The ants collect this and protect the scales
The ant are "farming" the scales. I saw what I think was ants collecting the honey dew and transferring it to other ants who ferried it back to the nest. they were so small but it looked well organized .Focus is not great but its interesting.

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6 you can see a drop of honey dew

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jrb1213 Loc: McDonough GEorgia

I knew about scale insects, and that a male has never been found, but I never knew that they were farmed. Wonderful document of a life strategy.

gym Loc: Athens, Georgia

jrb1213 wrote:

I knew about scale insects, and that a male has never been found, but I never knew that they were farmed. Wonderful document of a life strategy.

Actually, males exist for the vast majority of scale insects. The male adults look VERY different from females. They're usually winged and fly to find mates. Females on the other hand, are never winged and usually stay close to or in the same spot. A few, like armored scales, never relocate once the first instar has inserted its beak to feed. They spend their entire lives literally 'glued' to the spot.

gym Loc: Athens, Georgia

Nice photos. The soft scale in these photos looks a lot like brown soft scale, Coccus hesperidium. As they age, they should become darker brown in color and more convex.

jrb1213 Loc: McDonough GEorgia

gym wrote:

Actually, males exist for the vast majority of scale insects. The male adults look VERY different from females. They're usually winged and fly to find mates. Females on the other hand, are never winged and usually stay close to or in the same spot. A few, like armored scales, never relocate once the first instar has inserted its beak to feed. They spend their entire lives literally 'glued' to the spot.

Maybe just Auburn Univ had not found them (graduated in 77)

gym Loc: Athens, Georgia

jrb1213 wrote:

Maybe just Auburn Univ had not found them (graduated in 77)

It was probably just a misunderstanding. They've found them - and they've published on them. Here's one citation:
Miller, G.L. and M.L. Williams. 1990. Tests of male soft scale insects (Homoptera: Coccidae) from America north of Mexico, including a key to the species. Sys. Entomol. 15:339-358.

(M.L. Williams is on the faculty at Auburn)

jrb1213 Loc: McDonough GEorgia

gym wrote:

It was probably just a misunderstanding. They've found them - and they've published on them. Here's one citation:
Miller, G.L. and M.L. Williams. 1990. Tests of male soft scale insects (Homoptera: Coccidae) from America north of Mexico, including a key to the species. Sys. Entomol. 15:339-358.
(M.L. Williams is on the faculty at Auburn)

Maybe I need to forget the trivia I learned in the 70's and just remember the core stuff. Especially since my reading does not include scientific journals.

gym Loc: Athens, Georgia

jrb1213 wrote:

Maybe I need to forget the trivia I learned in the 70's and just remember the core stuff. Especially since my reading does not include scientific journals.

Mine either. Not anymore.
:)

jdeanb Loc: Texas / central

Nice information and also nice pictures as they tell a story

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

jrb1213 wrote:

I knew about scale insects, and that a male has never been found, but I never knew that they were farmed. Wonderful document of a life strategy.

Ants farm aphids and fungi too. They are very industrious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43id_NRajDo
This may be interesting too http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/7-animals-that-know-how-to-farm/agricultural-animals

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Thank you for adding the details. It made your captures more interesting!

evenic Loc: South Australia

St3v3M wrote:

Ants farm aphids and fungi too. They are very industrious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43id_NRajDo
This may be interesting too http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/7-animals-that-know-how-to-farm/agricultural-animals

Hi Thanks enjoyed the links. :thumbup:

evenic Loc: South Australia

Thankyou every one. St3v3m added some interesting links. :D