Ants and Aphids?

Phlabibit

Mystic Meg

General

30 Sep 08

Phlabibit

Mystic Meg

tinyurl.com/3sbbwd4

Joined: 27 Mar 03
Moves: 17242

30 Sep 08

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-

Great Big Stees

Joined: 14 Mar 04
Moves: 188366

30 Sep 08

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.

Sicilian Smaug

Joined: 15 Aug 05
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30 Sep 08

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Palynka

Upward Spiral

Halfway

Joined: 02 Aug 04
Moves: 8702

30 Sep 08

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.

leisurelysloth

Man of Steel

rushing to and fro

Joined: 13 Aug 05
Moves: 5930

30 Sep 08

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!!! 😠😠😠

Sicilian Smaug

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30 Sep 08

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Phlabibit

Mystic Meg

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Joined: 27 Mar 03
Moves: 17242

30 Sep 08

1 edit

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.

P-

leisurelysloth

Man of Steel

rushing to and fro

Joined: 13 Aug 05
Moves: 5930

30 Sep 08

1 edit

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

P-

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

DOWN WITH TYRANNY! FREE THE APHIDS!

*printing bumper-stickers*

Feastboy

Joined: 29 Dec 07
Moves: 4184

30 Sep 08

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.

🙂

rhb

Ginger Scum

Paranoia

Joined: 23 Sep 03
Moves: 15902

30 Sep 08

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.

Phlabibit

Mystic Meg

tinyurl.com/3sbbwd4

Joined: 27 Mar 03
Moves: 17242

30 Sep 08

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?

P-

Ice Cold

Joined: 30 Aug 06
Moves: 28651

30 Sep 08

The post that was quoted here has been removed

Yeah, the ants say, bitch make me a sandwich, and the aphids do it.