Ants and aphids - a description of the mutually beneficial symbiosis of insects

How are ants and aphids related?

Ants and aphids have little in common. Despite this, both species coexist well and adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Aphid

Aphids are small insects from the order Hemiptera. Today, scientists know more than 5,000 species of these creatures living in most countries of the world. These pests can live on almost any plant and feed on their sap.

The insect has an oval body, the length of which rarely exceeds 6 mm. It is covered with a translucent shell of white or light green color. The creature moves with the help of six long legs. Thanks to them, it can not only crawl from one leaf to another, but also jump onto neighboring plants. The small head has antennae that serve as organs of hearing and touch. The insect sees thanks to its red or brown eyes.

Interesting! Aphids have much better vision than most of their fellows.

The life cycle begins in the fall, when the female gives birth. She lays several hundred eggs, attaching them to the leaves of the plant. With the arrival of spring, larvae appear and quickly begin to grow and develop. After 15–20 days, they become adult females capable of reproducing without fertilization. At the end of summer, males begin to appear.

Ant

Ants are hymenopteran insects (phylum: arthropods) that live on all continents except Antarctica. All species live in large colonies, so it is impossible to find hermit ants in the wild. Among the most common types are:

• black;
• redheads;
• red;
• yellow;
• legionnaires;
• Amazons;
• forest

The insect's body consists of a head, thorax and abdomen. All of them are covered with a dense chitinous shell. These representatives of the fauna move with the help of six legs. At their end there are thin claws that are used for climbing vertical surfaces (for example, a tree trunk). The ant has antennae on its head that help it detect various odors and vibrations.

The life cycle begins with an egg, which is laid by the female. After the completion of the incubation period, a larva emerges from it, the care of which falls on the working individuals. A few days later she begins to weave a cocoon. The process of ant formation ends with pupation and the birth of a young individual.

Interesting! The female is the leader in an ant colony. Its only task is to breed offspring.

Do ants on your property bring benefit or harm?

On the one hand, as we have already mentioned, ants actively destroy and eat caterpillars and other garden pests - this is undoubtedly a useful quality. In a day, residents of one medium-sized anthill destroy up to two thousand midges, caterpillars, larvae, slugs and eggs.

These insects also take part in the aeration and structuring of the soil - in places where the ant family lives, the soil contains 10 times more phosphorus and 2 times more potassium, and in a soluble form, which is easiest for plants to absorb and does not require additional processing.

Ants, by carrying seeds, contribute to the spread of about thousands of plant species. And these insects themselves are excellent food for many species of birds and some animals.

In addition, ants can serve as a kind of indicator of the condition of the site - they avoid areas with high groundwater levels or contaminated areas.

But not everything is so one-sided and rosy. The same ants themselves willingly feed on plants (berries, roots, fruits, vegetables), giving preference to foods high in sugar - remember, we talked about the carbohydrates they need. They also eagerly eat delicate flower buds, which then do not open or form one-sided, ugly flowers.

Ants, constructing their homes on your site with numerous branched underground passages, imperceptibly spoil flower beds, lawns and alpine hills, at the same time “undermining” all the plant roots that come their way.

Ants, thanks to their “waste products,” sharply increase the acidity of the soil near their settlements, which does not benefit all cultivated plants.

Ants are able to colonize tree hollows, turning even strong wood into dust.

These insects can get into residential and commercial premises, where they spoil sweet and meat products. And in cold and rainy weather, they can even temporarily “move” into your house and actively reproduce there.

Some species of ants can serve as intermediate hosts for a number of animal parasites, and also transmit bacterial and viral diseases of humans.

Ants also “breed” aphids that are harmful and dangerous to plants – let’s talk about this in more detail.

How does symbiosis happen?

The relationship between insects boils down to mutual benefit. Ants catch and spread aphids to plants located near the anthill. Then they begin to shepherd their “flock” and protect it from potential enemies. As a result, some receive an inexhaustible source of food, while others receive a safe life and reproduction without any competition.

Manifestations of symbiosis:

1. Nutrition. Ants breed aphids to use as cash cows. They eat her sweet secretions (honeydew) every day. Ants can milk their “breadwinners” at any time. To do this, they just need to tickle the aphid with their antennae so that it releases a drop of nutrient fluid.
2. Protection. Aphids often become food for various predators. These insects suffer most from ladybugs and some species of small birds. To protect their “herd,” ants guard it around the clock. In the event of an attack, they selflessly rush at the intruder and do not spare their own lives. In addition, ants build a kind of fence around the aphids’ “grazing” areas. It is made from straw, small branches and dried grass.
3. Care. A colony of ants treats aphids as if they were their pets. When moving to another place of residence, they take their “pets” with them. With the first cold snap, workers carry aphids to the anthill. They provide them with food all winter and create ideal conditions for reproduction. In the spring, when warm weather sets in, the ants carry their cohabitants and place them on plants.

Interesting! If the aphid population is too large, the ants may eat some of the individuals.

A short excursion into the life of ants

Ants are one of those few insects that are almost constantly in search of food for their ant queen and her offspring. In nature, there are approximately 12,000 species of them and all of them belong to the family of social insects. This means that they live in large individual colony families, for example, like termites.

The diet of ants consists of food rich in carbohydrates and proteins. They can safely be called a sweet tooth, and if you don’t take into account human food, which they happily “steal” and absorb, then their favorite delicacy that they can get in nature is honeydew, produced by aphids, scale insects, scale insects.

The hierarchy in the ant community is structured very simply and correctly. One family-colony of ants lives in one anthill. This is a kind of society in which everyone has their own role. The queen is the leader of this community. Its only function is to give birth to offspring. And worker ants take care of this “mother of many children” and her children. They are asexual, their main function is to search for food. In search of food, they can overcome all possible obstacles (except insecticides) and go quite far from their anthill or nest. There are also ants - soldiers. They perform the corresponding function - they guard and protect their anthill. It's simple!

Why do aphids harm humans?

Aphids, which are beneficial to ants, are harmful to humans. It destroys crops of various agricultural crops, fruit trees and garden plants.

Damage from aphids:

1. Sucks juice from buds, buds and leaves. Such insect activity leads to a decrease in yield and plant death.
2. Can carry diseases. Aphids are carriers of various fungi and viruses. Affected plants become weak and cannot survive winter.
3. Produces sticky juice. Honeydew, which ants love, coats the leaves. The consequence of this is a deterioration in plant respiration and an increased likelihood of fungal development.

Signs of aphids

To prevent aphids from appearing in your garden, you need to regularly inspect your area. Having discovered the first signs of pests, you should quickly take the necessary measures. If this is not done, then aphids will occupy the garden and destroy most of the plants.

The main signs of a pest invasion:

1. The appearance of an anthill on or near the site. Hardworking insects always travel with their “pets”. Having chosen a place to live, they spread aphids to nearby plants.
2. Curled black currant leaves. In most cases, it is this plant that becomes the first target of pest attack. If you find curled or damaged top leaves, you need to immediately start fighting aphids.
3. Leaves become dull. This occurs due to the large number of small insects that cover the entire surface of the leaves.
4. Deformation of young shoots. This sign indicates a plant disease caused by an aphid infestation.
5. Sticky coating on stems and leaves. Aphids can secrete honeydew every minute or two. A large amount of this substance covers the green part of the plant and quickly kills it.

Insect interaction

Ants feed on the sticky substance that pest colonies leave behind on stems and leaves. In the process of evolution, they learned to use aphids as a source of carbohydrates, keeping them as “livestock”. Ants “milk” pests, stimulating with their antennae a copious secretion of a sticky substance. In addition, they transplant aphids onto the youngest plants to obtain more nutritious nectar, protect them from attacks by ladybugs, lacewings, etc., and keep them in anthills. When a family of ants moves to another site, it takes its “herd” with it.

Like aphids, ants are carriers of infections and parasites. Therefore, with their appearance, the summer resident is faced with the question of how to get rid of these insects.

The ants feed on the sticky substance left behind by aphid colonies on stems and leaves. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ofazende.com

Basic ways to combat invasion

The ants involved in breeding and dispersing aphids will leave after the disappearance of the “breadwinners”. Therefore, it is recommended to destroy smaller insects first. If you manage to get rid of these pests, the ants associated with them will also leave the area.

Ways to fight:

1. Mechanical. It involves collecting pests by hand. This is painstaking and difficult work, but it allows you to sharply reduce the number of individuals and prevent their uncontrolled reproduction.
2. Planting plants with a pungent odor. To prevent aphids from entering the garden, it is necessary to plant onions or garlic around its perimeter. Insects cannot tolerate the aroma emitted by these plants, so they will go looking for areas with more favorable conditions.
3. Attracting natural enemies. The aphids that eat the most are ladybugs, lacewings and hoverflies. In order for these insects to settle on the site, it is necessary to plant nettles or any herb on it. At the same time, you should not take plants with a pungent odor, as it can scare away welcome guests.
4. Attracting tits and sparrows. You can achieve the appearance of these birds in the garden where the pest has settled by feeding them with seeds or lard.

Ants are much more difficult to fight than aphids. To remove these insects, it is best to use chemicals. They paralyze the nervous system of the pest and lead to the death of most of the colony.

Important! When using chemicals, children and pets should not have access to the area.

Among the more humane methods are the following:

1. Sawdust with grated garlic. This mixture is spread around the anthill. Insects pick up on the unpleasant odor and quickly move to a new location. Anise leaves have a similar effect.
2. Salt. This food additive should be sprinkled on anthills and insect paths. Pests do not tolerate this substance, so they quickly leave the area.
3. Sagebrush. This plant is planted around the perimeter of the garden. Its aroma spreads over several hundred meters, driving away any pests.

Presentation Transcript

SYMBIOSIS (+;+), (+;0) cohabitation (from the Greek sim - together, bios - life) is a form of relationship from which both partners, or at least one, benefit. Symbiosis is divided into: mutualism, protocooperation and commensalism. :

Mutualism (+;+) is a form of symbiosis in which the presence of each of the two species becomes obligatory for both, each of the cohabitants receives relatively equal benefits, and the partners (or one of them) cannot exist without each other. :

Bacteria-symbionts living in the intestines help herbivorous mammals break down fiber

Components of a symbiotic superorganism: aphids (left) and Buchnera bacteria living in specialized host cells - bacteriocytes

Bacteria - rhizobia, living in nodules on the roots of legumes, convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium assimilated by plants, receiving in return comfortable living conditions and all the necessary nutrients:

THE STRUCTURE OF LICHEN IS A SIGHTING EXAMPLE OF MUTUALISM

HERMIT CANCER AND ANEMONE

Apartment:

Lodging is a form of commensalism in which one species uses another (its body or its home) as a shelter or home

Of particular importance is the use of reliable shelters for the preservation of eggs or juveniles.

Companionship:

Companionship is a form of commensalism in which several species consume different substances or parts of the same resource.

ANTIBIOSIS (-;-) a type of biotic relationship when both interacting populations (or one of them) experience a negative influence from each other. Antibiosis is divided into amensalism, predation, competition and parasitism. :

Amensalism (-;0) is a form of antibiosis in which one of the co-living species oppresses another, receiving neither harm nor benefit from it. :

PARASITISM (+;-) a form of antibiosis, when representatives of one species use nutrients or tissues of individuals of another species, as well as itself, as a temporary or permanent habitat. .:

Bacteria are parasites that cause tooth decay.

Ticks are parasites of humans and animals. Cheyletiosis caused by ticks.

Fleas are harmful parasites of mammals

Parasitic roundworms

Fungi are plant parasites

ergot Bubbly smut of corn Durum smut of wheat Dusty smut of wheat

Pavilika

PREDATION is a type of antibiosis in which members of one species feed on members of another species. Predation is widespread in nature among both animals and plants. :

GIDNORA AFRICAN

COMPETITION A type of biotic relationship in which organisms or species compete with each other to consume the same, usually limited, resources. Competition is divided into intraspecific and interspecific.

Intraspecific competition is competition for the same resources that occurs between individuals of the same species. This is an important factor in self-regulation of the population. Examples: Birds of the same species compete for nesting sites.

During the breeding season, males of many mammal species (for example, deer) compete with each other for the opportunity to start a family.

INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION is competition for the same resources that occurs between individuals of different species.

Both wolves and foxes hunt hares. Therefore, competition for food arises between these predators. This does not mean that they directly come into conflict with each other, but the success of one means the failure of the other.

Prevention measures

To prevent the appearance of harmful insects, it is necessary to carry out regular preventive measures. Before doing this work, you need to understand why it is needed, and also study the behavior of pests.

Recommended preventive measures:

1. Creating a natural barrier. Planting mint, garlic, onions or marigolds will create an obstacle to the penetration of aphids and ants into the garden. These plants have a pungent odor that pests cannot tolerate.
2. Weed control. They are an ideal place for laying eggs. If you regularly get rid of these plants, you can prevent the rapid increase in the insect population.
3. Whitewashing trees and bushes. Aphids love to lay eggs in loose bark. A lime solution with disinfectant properties will help to avoid this.
4. Collection of fallen berries and fruits. This food source attracts many harmful insects, including ants. How to effectively fight ants on fruit trees, read the article here.
5. Preventive spraying. To prepare the liquid mixture, it is recommended to use ingredients of natural origin.

The symbiosis of ants and aphids is beneficial to both species. Thanks to it, insects receive everything they need to survive in the wild. For humans, such a relationship between pests causes a lot of trouble. However, if you know some of the nuances and take the necessary measures in time, you can reduce the negative impact to a minimum.

Chemicals - application features

Of course, chemicals are considered to be most effective in the fight against arthropods. Chemical agents allow you to get rid of all parasites in one treatment and forget about them by the onset of the next spring season. But it is worth noting that the side effects are quite harmful.

Beneficial insects, as well as the soil, suffer due to exposure to pesticides. It is necessary to exclude the possibility of their use during flowering of vegetation, fruit set, and harvesting.

Let us also note the presence of developed analogues of chemical preparations - they are biologically active agents. The most popular are Akarin, Aktofin, Fitoverm, Biotlin. They have a targeted effect on parasites, excluding harm to the plants themselves, since their composition does not contain chemicals or toxic ingredients.