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Ant Cows!!


Ant Cows!!
Photo Information
Copyright: howard shirley (gerbilratz) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 363 W: 0 N: 976] (3110)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-07-16
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: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-17 9:06
Viewed: 291
Points: 16
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This ant was spotted on a under side of 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.

So, next time you go get the bug spray... before you wipe out a population of aphids... just spare a thought to what a great and complicated life they lead...

This image was one of the most fun pictures I have ever taken. I do not profess it to particularly good, but every time I tried to take an image, the ants kept moving and carrying the aphids around.

I ended up with the camera, flash, and microslide being inverted on the Manfrotto tripod, camera pointing upwards and under the leaf. I then had to lie down to be able to get a picture whilst looking up. The sun was shining, so I decided to use it as a "backlight" and use the macro flash underneath, but heavily diffused(vaseline and tissue paper).

At this point, my long-suffering wife decided to go in and shut the door behind her... err.. she was laughing too much to be of much use to me!!! Anyway, I decided to focus on the aphids, and hopefully get a decent ant image. As said, this is not necessarily a good image, but was fun getting it...and hopefully gives a good insight to nature at the macro level.

F-stop f/2.8, shutter speed 1/125,ISO 100. Flash fill used, heavily diffused, manual focus, shot in RAW. Cropped and sized, sharpened 66% at 1 pixel.
Dillinger, Jamesp, xTauruSx, boreocypriensis, Argus, goldyrs, marhowie has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To marhowie: ant cows..gerbilratz 1 07-20 05:34
To lawbert: ant cowsgerbilratz 1 07-18 15:07
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1213 W: 0 N: 4642] (13806)
  • [2008-07-17 12:35]

Hi Howard

Great shot of this phenomenon - and amusing note. Good TN stuff. Well seen and captured.

James

Hello Howar, perfect close-up shot of these mutuallistic organisms with great composition. TFS and Kind regards,
Deniz

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 931 W: 5 N: 2440] (9157)
  • [2008-07-17 17:07]

Hi Howard,you change subjects but the results are always great! This is a different and impressive pic,i like a lot the soft colors and the excellents details...gebilratz,a name,a guarancy..ehehhe...have a nice day,Luciano

Hi my friend Howard, perfectly focused and detailed close-up capture of these mutuallistic insect species.
TFS and Cheers,
Bayram

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2496 W: 132 N: 7098] (22175)
  • [2008-07-18 11:27]

Hello Howard,
When I was young I was led to believe that ants were a blessing in the garden. Now I know better and this close macro illustrates very well the close relationship that ants and aphids have, much to the dismay of gardeners. The focusing and use of the low aperture in flash is spot on to render both the ant and the aphids sharply.
A great macro and note and thanks for sharing both!
Have a good weekend.
Ivan

Hello H
This is a really interesting post and to be fair deserved more credit..But I guess that is the way of TN sometimes..Ive got inflight shots of mini birds with naff all crits..It seems as though photogrphy that is challenging doesnt recieve as much as it should.
Great capture though and a splendid note to boot.
Paul

A pewrfect macro, Howard!Love the dull colours!

Goldy

Hi Howard,
Very cool :)
Really like this look into the very small, I need to do more of it myself. It's what macro is all about.
Very interesting note on their symbiotic relationship..
Funny you mentioned the bug spray. I have issues with my wife now about its use..I'm still trying to convert her ;-}}
Great detail, DOF, and exposure,
Well done!
Howard

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