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Ants and Aphids?

Ants and Aphids?

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Are they Aphids? Not sure... but I've got a giant weed and the Ants seem to collect these black Aphids on the branches and watch over them keeping them in tight lines near the top of the plant. Any ideas what I am seeing here? Not sure at all what is going on.

Are they slaves, or is this a symbiotic relationship?

Hmm?

P-

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Originally posted by Phlabibit
Are they Aphids? Not sure... but I've got a giant weed and the Ants seem to collect these black Aphids on the branches and watch over them keeping them in tight lines near the top of the plant. Any ideas what I am seeing here? Not sure at all what is going on.

Are they slaves, or is this a symbiotic relationship?

Hmm?

P-
I'd say it's a symbolic relationship. The ants are trying to tell us (humans) that "hey we can get along with different species why can't you get along with your own kind"........or maybe they're slaves.

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Originally posted by Phlabibit
Are they Aphids? Not sure... but I've got a giant weed and the Ants seem to collect these black Aphids on the branches and watch over them keeping them in tight lines near the top of the plant. Any ideas what I am seeing here? Not sure at all what is going on.

Are they slaves, or is this a symbiotic relationship?

Hmm?

P-
Try derailing one track and see what the ants do.

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The post that was quoted here has been removed
It's sort of like a dairy farm I think. Somebody should call PETA. FREE THE APHIDS!!! 😠😠😠

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Originally posted by leisurelysloth
It's sort of like a dairy farm I think. Somebody should call PETA. FREE THE APHIDS!!! 😠😠😠
At least we don't make ice cream from Aphid milk.

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Originally posted by Phlabibit
At least we don't make ice cream from Aphid milk.

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We don't but those evil ants do. Especially those oppressive Red Chinese ants.

DOWN WITH TYRANNY! FREE THE APHIDS!

*printing bumper-stickers*

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Actually the ants protect the aphids from other creatures and in return the aphids pass "sugar water" from their backsides which the ants use as food. So it's probably not a bad deal for the aphids... plus they get to pee on their oppressors.

🙂

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphid#Symbioses

I studied the Bird Cherry Oat Aphid in more detail than I care to remember at uni. To my knowledge, ants don't farm those ones.

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Originally posted by Palynka
Try derailing one track and see what the ants do.
Not very cool. For example, how would you like for someone to take all the sardines from you?

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The post that was quoted here has been removed
Yeah, the ants say, bitch make me a sandwich, and the aphids do it.

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