Garden ant (Lasius niger) tending black aphids

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Some species of ants "farm" aphids, protecting them on the plants they eat, eating the honeydew that the aphids release from the terminations of their alimentary canals. This is a "mutualistic relationship". These "dairying ants" "milk" the aphids by stroking them with their antennae. Therefore, sometimes aphids are called "ant cows"

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Size: 5100px × 3386px
Location: Oxfordshire UK
Photo credit: © Julian Brooks / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: ant, antennae, aphid, aphidoidea, aphids, aphis, close, close-, closeup, compound, control, eyes, farming, garden, gardening, greenfly, hemiptera, homopterous, honeydew, insect, insecta, legs, macro, magnified, milking, mutualism, nuisance, pest, plant, roses, sap, suckers, summer