alexwild > A minor worker of Camponotus floridanus tending scale insects.  Camponotus are more dependent on honeydew-producing insects than are most other ant species, and their guts contain highly specialized microbes that help the ants thrive on the carbohydrate-rich diet.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida
alexwild > Camponotus floridanus tending scale insects.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
alexwild > Aphaenogaster treatae transporting an aphid.

Lake Glendale, Illinois, USA
alexwild > On the underside of a sun-soaked leaf, Aphaenogaster tennesseensis tending to Entylia sp. treehoppers.  The treehoppers secrete sweet honeydew for the ants in exchange for protections from parasites and predators.

Lake Glendale, Illinois, USA
alexwild > On the underside of a sun-soaked leaf, Aphaenogaster tennesseensis tending to Entylia sp. treehoppers.  The treehoppers secrete sweet honeydew for the ants in exchange for protections from parasites and predators.

Lake Glendale, Illinois, USA
alexwild > Aphaenogaster tennesseensis tending to Entylia sp. treehoppers.  The treehoppers secrete sweet honeydew for the ants in exchange for protections from parasites and predators.

Lake Glendale, Illinois, USA
alexwild > Aphaenogaster tennesseensis tending to Entylia sp. treehoppers.  The spiky-looking bugs are the immature stages of the larger shield-shaped insects.

Lake Glendale, Illinois, USA
alexwild > Ants (Pheidole megacephala) tending aphids for honeydew.  The tight association of ants and aphids give the ants a significant carbohydrate boost and the aphids protection from predators.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
alexwild > Cyphomyrmex wheeleri is the most temperate of the Cyphomyrmex species, occurring as far north as San Francisco, California.  Here worker ants tend to their fungus garden.

Austin, Texas, USA
A minor worker of Camponotus floridanus tending scale insects. Camponotus are more dependent on honeydew-producing insects than are most other ant species, and their guts contain highly specialized microbes that help the ants thrive on the carbohydrate-rich diet.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida
alexwild > A minor worker of Camponotus floridanus tending scale insects.  Camponotus are more dependent on honeydew-producing insects than are most other ant species, and their guts contain highly specialized microbes that help the ants thrive on the carbohydrate-rich diet.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida
A minor worker of Camponotus floridanus tending scale insects. Camponotus are more dependent on honeydew-producing insects than are most other ant species, and their guts contain highly specialized microbes that help the ants thrive on the carbohydrate-rich diet.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida
See photo in gallery

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