Wait who invented farming?
C'mon you got to love these guys. These guys are so complex that they've been herding aphids way before we even thought about farming animals. These guys live in a symbiotic relationship where the aphids get protection and ants get honeydew form the aphids. Videos below explain more. More info below.
Just thought this was funny.
Aphids drink the sugar rich liquid that's inside plants but they need a lot of it to get adequate nutrition so they are getting moved around a lot to get the best source of plant sugar. Their waste product is honeydew which ants love for its high sugar content and they will milk the aphids so much that the aphids actually forget how to "poop" without being stroked. Ants will care for the aphids with shelter as well as protection. They will carry all the aphid eggs into their nest where its the right temperature and humidity and keep them until they are ready to hatch. Its not perfect for the aphids though. Some aphids can grow wings but they get them clipped off by ants because they don't want their "live-stalk" running away. Ants can also release "semiochemicals" which help control the aphid's behavior.
No comments:
Post a Comment