Aphids and Black garden ants - Symbiosis

Aphids and Black garden ants - Symbiosic life on Euphorbia cyparissias.

comments (2)

Jivko Nakev

Lion

This is a typical example of symbiotic life. I couldn't find relevant information and hence couldn't ID the aphids. I contacted Dr. R. Dransfield, UK, and he was kind enough to help me:
"The group to which they these aphids belong (Aphis spp. on Euphorbia) are described by Blackman as 'taxonomically difficult'. See http://www.aphidsonworldsplants.info/d_APHIDS_A.htm#Aphis

Nevertheless, I think it is likely your aphids are Aphis euphorbiae (or just possibly Aphis pseudopaludicola).

Blackman's description of Aphis euphorbiae is as follows:

"Apterae are blackish brown, shiny or wax-dusted, with tibiae pale brown except at apices, and siphunculi and cauda black; body length1.3-2.4 mm; siphunculi 0.70-1.37 × cauda. Dorsal abdomen with sclerotic shield usually confined to central area, not
extending laterally as far as intersegmental or marginal sclerites. Cauda elongate triangular or finger-shaped, more than 1.3 × its basal width. Siphunculi rather robust, often with slightly convex sides. On upper parts of stems of Euphorbia spp., especially Euphorbia cyparissia."
The shiny sclerotic shield on the central part of the dorsum, and the rather robust siphunculi are very clear in your specimens.
We cannot however rule out Aphis pseudopaludicola. This aphid species has been recorded on the stem, petioles and undersides of leaves of Euphorbia cyparissias in Bulgaria. Aphis pseudopaludicola only differs from Aphis euphorbiae by having the hairs on the third antennal segment finely pointed, and measuring 1.1-2.0 × the basal diameter of the third antennal segment. So you would need a microscope to distinguish these two species!"
Than I took few specimen at home and investigated them with 20x magnifier and would say these are Aphis euphorbiae.

Posted 11 years ago

Stuart

Lion

Nice pictures. It's very interesting the symbiosis between the aphids and the ants. The ants (generally Lasius Niger) in the uk herd the aphids like cattle. Looking after them, transporting them between plant sites all for the honey dew the aphids secrete. The ants pay special attention to the aphid mother, ants will actually carry her around, shelter her from harm and protect her when predators are close by. They also do this to mealybugs too :)

Ants - been herding animals LONG before humans decided to do it ;) Posted 10 years ago

The Black garden ant

The black garden ant is a formicine ant, the type species of the subgenus ''Lasius'', found all over Europe and in some parts of North America and Asia. It is monogynous, meaning colonies have a single queen.

Info 25 2

Similar species: Wasps, Bees, Sawflies And Ants

Species identified by Jivko Nakev