REDAVONS

A Busy Day on the Farm.

While folk marvel at the antics of the tropical Leafcutter and Parasol ants as shown on television  they may just be overlooking the talents of their neighbourhood insects . The common Black Ant (Lasius niger)  that lover of sugar and picnic pest, that inconvenient swarmer on a hot day  has a remarkable ability to farm.  They stroke aphids feeding on plant sap to stimulate them to expel surplus sugar in syrup form, which the worker ants collect and take to the nest. In return the ants protect the aphids from predators.
It’s dairy farming in miniature. What a wonderful World!