Came upon an insect battle or an ant massacre
Jun 16, 2017 13:39:52 #
this is a extreme crop as I only had a manual 50mm lens mounted when I came upon a horde of bung on the end of a grape vine. I thought they were all ants feeding on some sweet juice from the vine, instead when I looked closer I found this.
Ants attacking some skinny legged insects I can not identify. If looks like the Ants pushed or hearded these insects to the "end of the Line" and are in the process of wiping them out! What are thy?
Ants attacking some skinny legged insects I can not identify. If looks like the Ants pushed or hearded these insects to the "end of the Line" and are in the process of wiping them out! What are thy?
Jun 16, 2017 13:46:01 #
This is a good picture, especially since the ants (Crematogaster ants) are really tiny. Others will explain what is going on here.
Jun 16, 2017 14:01:27 #
The ants harvest the aphids secretions, they are not attacking them.... It's a symbiotic relationship.
Jun 16, 2017 14:08:44 #
Thanks for the info, I still wonder why they were all jammed up on the very end of the vine. See original
Jun 16, 2017 14:23:05 #
jbmauser wrote:
Must have something to do with the Aphids ability to sap plant juices. Must be easier to do nearer new growth. I see this on my Grape vines as well as on other plants.Thanks for the info, I still wonder why they were all jammed up on the very end of the vine. See original
Jun 16, 2017 15:23:53 #
Screamin Scott is right. Aphids suck on plant sap, and they often prefer new growth since it has added benefits. More plant nutrients are packed in younger shoots, and fewer of the plant chemical defenses have built up. Aphids and their plant sucking relatives are often attractive to ants, who lick up their sugary secretions (including sugary poo), and the ants will defend the aphids against their many predators and parasites. The tiny Crematogaster ants are fierce defenders of 'their' aphids.
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