UK gardening - Re: Ants and apple trees

Author

Re: Ants and apple trees

Tim Tyler

2005-06-27, 6:25 pm

An anecdote:

Today I found four large black aphids on the very top of a metre high
passion flower plant which I had moved into the garden - from my nursery -
a few days previously.

I photographed the plant - and have indicated the aphid location with
a red arrow:

http://timtyler.freeshell.org/temp/...sion_flower.jpg

The rest of the plant was entirely free of aphids - though there
were other similar-looking aphids on the nasturtium in the foreground.

The four aphids were being attended by two ants. I removed the
insects from the plant with my fingers.

My theory about how the aphids arrived at that spot is that the aphids
were carried a metre up into the air by ants - and placed on the plant's
most tender growth area by them.

Possibly this act was performed by the same two ants I found in
attendance.

If this theory is correct it may be possible to observe the transportation
act in progress - with a bit of luck. I'll keep an eye out for this
event. It seems it may be possible to catch the ants in action.
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