
Ants are destroying plants by nurturing perfect aphid colonies - em3rgent0rdr
http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/09/ants-are-destroying-your-plants-by-nurturing-perfect-aphid-colonies/
======
larubbio
Aphids are fascinating (if annoying in the garden). They are capable of
telescoping generations [1] which means an aphid can be pregnant with an aphid
that is also pregnant.

[https://simonleather.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/living-
inside-...](https://simonleather.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/living-inside-your-
grandmother-the-wonderful-world-of-aphids/)

They also can grow wings if the colony gets overcrowded or the plant they are
on is starting to die.

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telescoping_generations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telescoping_generations)

~~~
IndianAstronaut
They also alternate between male/female and hermaphroditic phases.

------
Hydraulix989
For months, I've had an Argentine ant problem, as in an infinite side-by-side
congo line of them marching from my living room to my kitchen.

I tried a bunch of things; the number #1 liquid ant borox bait trap killer
gizmo on Amazon just made a bunch of them die, but it didn't kill the colony.
I just kept laying out more and more traps, but the ants would just die and
fill up the trap, then the other ants would somehow learn that the trap was
bad, and never touch it again, but interestingly enough, they would go in, and
carry away their dead comrades.

Apparently, because Argentine ants have multiple queens, forming a giant macro
colony that vertically spans the entire state of California. You get one
queen, and they won't be down for the count, they'll just come right back.
These are stubborn, resilient little buggers.

I then tried caulking the cracks along the bottom of the sheetrock next to my
windows that they would keep coming out of, and I sealed that whole thing up
good; it worked for about a week, and then the ants managed to eat through the
caulking!

Anyhow, there were aphids were all over the vines(?) going all the way up the
side of my house and up over my window. Once we removed the vines entirely,
the ants were gone for good.

Sorry about the incomplete sentences and run-ons, I'm tired...

~~~
throwaway_java
in my experience, it's more effective to lay out a strip of ant poison on some
cellotape rather than in the bait traps.

More surface area so more ants can carry the poison away faster, and less
deaths occur in the manner that you describe.

Also, switch to different types of bait now and then.

------
Alex3917
Mugwort is invasive, causes allergies, and is probably the single most-common
street weed growing in NYC. So probably not a huge problem for the aphids to
kill as much as they can.

The cooler story about aphids though is the dancing wooly aphids, which should
be starting to colonize beech trees right around now. In addition to dancing
when you shake the tree, there is an entire species of fungus that grows only
in the honeydew left by the aphids. These are the black masses that you see on
pretty much every single beech tree:

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorias_spongiosa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorias_spongiosa)

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k_FuYrMeDw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k_FuYrMeDw)

Fortunately they don't harm the beech trees, esp. since they're mycorrhizal
with chanterelles and black trumpets.

~~~
mitchty
> Fortunately they don't harm the beech trees, esp. since they're mycorrhizal
> with chanterelles and black trumpets.

I recognize most of this as English but I worry about spending the next 4
hours or more on wackypedia figuring out what all this means.

~~~
soperj
It has a symbiotic relationship with chanterelle and black trumpet mushrooms.

~~~
mitchty
Ah many thanks, biology is outside of my area of expertise.

------
M_Grey
Ants are incredibly impressive creatures, that appear to have been engaged in
activities we usually consider to be uniquely human. Their history of
agriculture, "animal" husbandry and city building, not to mention some clever
air conditioning solutions predates our existence as modern humans.

Impressive little creatures when you get them in a group, and they're almost
always in a group.

~~~
Red_Tarsius
African termites' engineering is quite impressive as well. Their mound is a
giant, self-cooling fungus farm! It was a source of inspiration for biomimetic
architecture. You can read about it here: [http://inhabitat.com/building-
modelled-on-termites-eastgate-...](http://inhabitat.com/building-modelled-on-
termites-eastgate-centre-in-zimbabwe/)

~~~
arcticfox
The termite's task in temperature regulation almost seems impossibly
difficult. You would need an extremely well educated and specialized human to
develop something to match what they've done.

Remarkable that they could evolve that behavior.

~~~
M_Grey
On the other hand, HVAC (I mean, that's what it is right?) must confer a
_huge_ advantage, even in its relatively early and primitive stages. You
probably save loads of energy with even a degree in the right direction,
especially when you're raising lots of larvae.

Like the first critter to evolve a couple of photosensitive cells, it seems
like a minute thing, but telling dark from light can be a huge leg up. Now we
look at complex eye structures and are amazed, but of course they were once
eye spots.

I suspect that it might be the same with the termites, who have after all had
a long time, and uncountable generations to select for these traits.

No less remarkable for all of that though.

------
reitanqild
As someone who now finally have conquered the aphids in my plum tree after
destroying the ants nest next to it this rings true.

------
jcoffland
I've been battling aphid farming ants in my garden for years now. It's kind of
fun to watch them tend their aphids but they wreak havock on plants. I've used
diatomaceous earth to repel the ants. It acts like tiny shards of glass that
gets caught in exoskeletons. The ants hate it. But it's ineffective of it gets
wet. I'm interested in trying Tanglefoot. Anyone have experience with this
product?

~~~
Jedd
Permaculturists have been using physical methods for years to stop ants
protecting aphid herds -- you may not need any chemicals at all. Hunt around
for some half-donut shapes that clip around the trunk that you can fill with
water. (I can't find any pics after a quick search, but I know they exist.)
Otherwise, maybe something mild like a vaseline barrier - probably need to
protect from the rain, of course.

~~~
internaut
> Permaculturists have been using physical methods for years to stop ants
> protecting aphid herds

I feel like the animals would (if they had good PR) depict us as the worst
conspiratorial puppet-masters and we would thoroughly deserve it.

------
bikamonki
I feel like going back to read GEB, see if this time I get it...

