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The ants protect the insects by "nannying" the mobile crawler stages and protecting them against their natural enemies. [16] Experiments have shown that this connection is so strong that, in environments where A. gracilipes was removed, the density of scale insects dropped by 67% within 11 weeks, and to zero after 12 months. [17]
Another species of ant maintains a herd of scale insects inside the hollow stems of a Barteria tree; the scale insects feed on the sap and the ants, while benefiting from the honeydew, drive away other herbivorous insects from the tree as well as preventing vines from smothering it. [15] Cheilomenes sexmaculata preying on mealybugs
Scales are present on the bodies of various insects. A notable example are the Lepidoptera , the insect order comprising moths and butterflies, which have scales on their wings and on the head, parts of the thorax and abdomen, and parts of the genitalia.
Ants – social insects with geniculate (elbowed) antennae and a distinctive node-like structure that forms a slender waist. Ants are of the family Formicidae and evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago, diversifying after the rise of flowering plants.
An ant collects honeydew from an aphid Ants collecting honeydew from Calico scales (Eulecanium cerasorum) then played at 30 times speed to show the pumping action of the scale. Aphids and other hemipteran insects secrete a sweet liquid called honeydew , when they feed on plant sap .
This genus has a strictly American distribution, inhabiting in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions and containing 60 species, several undescribed. Despite being considered by many ant collectors as "road side weeds", several species of Dorymyrmex shown a high degree of endemicity, specialized habitat preferences, and varied population structure.
When you're dining outdoors, it's important to take measures to prevent ants, flies and other insects from eating off your plate. Don't let these uninvited guests ruin your next picnic or patio party.
Major workers forage, defend, maintain, and expand the colony whereas minor workers tend to stay within the nests where they care for the brood and 'milk' scale insects in or close to the nests. Dead weaver ant queen carried by a worker ant. Weaver ants vary in color from reddish to yellowish brown dependent on the species.