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Ants (again!!)


Ants (again!!)
Photo Information
Copyright: howard shirley (gerbilratz) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 362 W: 0 N: 977] (3110)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-07
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG macro, Tiffen 58mm UV PROTECTOR USA
Exposure: f/2.8, 1/125 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-20 8:38
Viewed: 373
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I have been after more ant images with their "pet aphids" I did a previous image with just an ant and aphid instar nymphs... but this time I got a couple of "mummy aphids" being massaged by an ant...this massaging produces honeydew that the ants feed on...

This ant and mature aphids were spotted on a Spear Thistle, Cirsium vulgara leaf. The ant was seen to be stroking the aphids to produce "milk". Some species of ants "farm" aphids, protecting them on the plants they eat, and eating the honeydew that the aphids release from the "terminations of their alimentary canals"... eeuuuch! This is a "mutualistic relationship".

These "dairy ants" "milk" the aphids by stroking them with their antennae, hence the title "Ant Cows"

Some of the "farming ants" collect and store aphid eggs in the nests, overwintering them. Come springtime, the ants carry the newly-hatched aphids back to the plants to feed and collect honeydew.....

Some species of dairying ants,such as the European yellow meadow ant, or Lasius flavus, manage large "herds" of aphids that feed on roots of plants in the ant colony.
Queens that depart to start new colonies will take an aphid egg to start a new herd, a whole new meaning to having a nest egg!!!They will even fight off aphid predators and protect the aphids from harm. This is an entirely mutualistic relationship.

Many aphids are host to endo-symbiont bacteria, Buchnera, which live in specialized cells called bacteriocytes inside the aphid. These bacteria synthesize some essential amino acids that are absent in the phloem that the aphids eat.

Reproduction-Aphids giving birth to live young as well as lay eggs...

Aphids are known for having unusual reproductive adaptations! Some species have fairly simple reproduction, but other species... it is very complicated with both sexual and asexual forms, creation of eggs or live nymphs.

They can even "clone" themselves undergoing "cyclical parthenogenesis"... it's like this, in the spring and summer, only females are present in the population. The overwintering eggs that hatch in the spring are also females, called fundatrices. Reproduction is typically parthenogenetic and viviparous. Females undergo a modified meiosis that results in eggs that are genetically identical to their mother, this being parthenogenetic.

The embryos develop within the mothers' ovarioles, which then give live birth to first instar nymphs (viviparous). The resulting parthenogenic female offspring are called virginoparae. Aphids typically live from 20-40 days and thus undergo multiple parthenogenetic, viviparous generations each summer.

Because of the tiny insects and close focus, I could not get both in a good focus, so I am happy to sacrifice the quality of the ant to get a half decent image of a mature aphid. The overall image shows a herder ant, mature aphids, instar nymphs and a shell of a dead un!!

F-stop f/2.8, shutter speed 1/125,ISO 100. Flash fill used, heavily diffused, manual focus, hand held this time, shot in RAW. Cropped and sized, sharpened 66% at 1 pixel.

Not the best of images, probably not the most interesting or popular subject... but a bit of variety does no harm!!!
eqshannon, zulfu, Jamesp, boreocypriensis, bahadir, nglen, xTauruSx, CENT-TRETZE, uleko has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 527 W: 0 N: 95] (583)
  • [2008-07-20 8:43]

Hi Howard wonderful shot of these working group with great details. TFS. Greetings,
Mehmet

Super keen Howard! This group has a real job..Not sure what mine did with the aphids...On the wilderness property it was quite common to see my dill weed with a million aphids and the ants watching them...made it truly hard to use the dill later on...I tried all sorts of organics to get things off of the dill...but ended up simply shaking them as much as possible before drying...I wonder now...how many unusual things we ate in our herbals:-) ?
A fine image and some good continuing information. you know..I had not been to your gallery before posting my ants...so there is some synchronicity here for sure Howard. Very good then. We all continue to learn eh?
Bob

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1251 W: 0 N: 4829] (14332)
  • [2008-07-20 8:56]

Hi Howard

I remember this from what passed as science lessons in Junior School - then called nature Studies. Great view of this process. Well seen and captured.

James

Hello Howard, another great macro shot of this mutuallistic relationship between the ants and aphids. Great again in all around!
TFS and cheers,

Bayram

Hi Howards, superb macro showing these mutuallistic insects. TFS. Regards,
Bahadır

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1988 W: 5 N: 5524] (20880)
  • [2008-07-20 10:31]

Hi Howard. Most interesting notes to go with the picture , this is somthing i had never seen or heard of before . so thanks for posting this. well seen and taken. TFS.
Nick..

Hi Howard,

very good shot of these working group.
Great details and good pov.

Gert

Hello Hovard, another perfect macro shot of these ants and aphids. TFS.
Regards,
Deniz

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 275 W: 3 N: 731] (2624)
  • [2008-07-21 0:37]

Hello Howard,
excellent macro with rich details and perfect sharpness on primary object. Very good work!Best regards
Siegfried

Hello Howard;
A good image and very well defined view of these insects. Very good and documented description that accompanies these bugs.
Thank you for your knowledge Comparato.
Best regards.
Josep

Hi Howard, great macro of so little creatures, fantastic details, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2458 W: 168 N: 7420] (23432)
  • [2008-07-21 5:58]

Hello Howard,
Grat capture of an Ant and some pretty big Aphids and little nymphs. Very clear details and interesting to see! Fine colours and well composed too.
TFS and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1031 W: 26 N: 2984] (10774)
  • [2008-07-21 6:05]

Hi Howard, fascinating shot of a slightly unsettling scene! Great detail and colour too...interesting!
tfs
Paul

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1329 W: 107 N: 4785] (21248)
  • [2008-07-21 6:43]

Hello Howard! Good macro with very sharp details and a very interresting note, thanks my friend!

Mario

Hi Howard,
Good shot,very sharp.
Best regards,
Ralf

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