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Pheidole navigans Tends Root Aphids!


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#1 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 8 2019 - 5:37 PM

NickAnter

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    While out in my back yard this evening, at around 5:30, I saw a Pheidole navigans worker in their trail, which leads to a plant pot, carrying a small, brown object.  I dismissed it as a small seed.  Then, I saw another worker carrying one.  I looked closer and saw that it was a medium brownish pink root aphid/mealybug!  An Argentine ant then came up and inspected the aphid(?) that the worker was holding, and then left.  The workers eventually reached the pot with succulents in it, presumably to place the aphid in the roots.  Another Argentine ant then came up and inspected a worker, and attacked!  I realized that the workers could be using them to help pacify the Argentines, as well as to receive sugary liquids. I will look tomorrow and see if I can get a picture of an aphid/mealybug.  I thought this was interesting, as I could not find anything that said they tended root aphids. 


  • ANTdrew likes this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 





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