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Ants and Aphids
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
I know, this is not a sympathic subject. Like many, I don't like aphids but there are an important part of the food chain.
An intimate, symbiotic relationship exists between ants and aphids. They are often compared to cattle, with the ants acting as protectors and ranchers. What aphids have that ants want is something called honeydew, a sweet substance that is excreted by aphids through their anus and contains surplus sugar from the aphid's diet. Ants protect aphid eggs during the winter, and carry the newly hatched aphids to new host plants, where the aphids feed on the leaves and the ants get a supply of honeydew.
Because of their ability to reproduce rapidly and grow large colonies, their feeding on plants causes yellowing, stunting, mottling, browning, and curling of leaves, as well as inhibiting the ability of the host plant to produce crops. Infestations by aphids can cause plants to die, and the insects can carry other diseases, such as plant viruses, from one plant to another. Their saliva is also toxic to plant tissues. Among the biological controls of aphid infestations in agriculture and horticulture are lacewings, sometimes called "aphid lions," lady beetles or ladybird beetles (ladybugs), and syrphid flies.
Read more: Ants And Aphids
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Une étroite relation sympbiotique existe entre les fourmis et les pucerons. On les compare souvent à du bétail, avec les fourmis se comportant comme protecteurs et éleveurs. Les fourmis sont friandes du miellat produit par les pucerons (par leur anus), qui contient le surplus de sucre qu'il n'ont pas assimilé. |
roges, red45, zetu has marked this note useful
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| Discussions |
| Thread | Thread Starter |
Messages |
Updated |
| To red45: Yes! | CatherineD |
1 |
05-21 12:38 |
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- roges
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 565 W: 0 N: 472]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(2922) - [2009-05-21 9:54]
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Bonsoir Catherine,
Macro exceptionnelles!
Des couleurs brillantes, un contraste parfait.
J'ai surtout l'amour, ni les fourmis, mais ... mais en termes de photographie ... est joué exceptionnel.
Une belle soirée,
Adrian
Selamlar.
Bilgilerim doğrultusunda güveler ve termitler harika olmuş.
elinize sağlık.
En güzel dileklerimle
hoşcakalın.
hello Catherine
great macro with very good details
good lighte and beautifulcolours
greeting lou
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- cirano
(4776)
- [2009-05-21 11:10]
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Hello Catherine,
Interesting capture and good composition.
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- red45
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2703 W: 74 N: 8857]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(30219) - [2009-05-21 11:43]
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Hurray, I'm not alone! :-) I also don't like aphids very much! They're disgusting and their life cycle is far too weird and alien to me. Anyway - your photo is superb - very detailed, with great DOF and sharpness. I wonder what is this white 'ghost' on lower left side of photo. A tiny spider?
Excelente acercamiento y unas bellas tonalidades.
Saludos Catherine: Josep Ignasi.
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- zetu
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 15 N: 1561]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(6085) - [2009-05-22 1:29]
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Hello Catherine
Interesting capture with great details and natural colors.
Regards
Razvan
