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Do ants farm greenfly?!

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  • #1

    Do ants farm greenfly?!

    I noticed yesterday the new shoots on one of my apple trees were all totally plastered with small green aphids. As I was about to start removing them, I noticed a weird thing - there were 4 or 5 such clusters of aphids and each one was swarming with ants - maybe 10-20 ants on each little shoot/colony. They were wandering around but not obviously eating the greenfly and they weren't walking up and down the tree, but confined to where the aphids were.

    They looked like they were guarding or shepherding the aphids. I know you do see this kind of thing between different species, does it go on between garden ants and greenfly?
    Last edited by d000hg; 09-07-2014, 10:21 AM.
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  • #2
    Yes, they do - they milk them for honeydew.
    Whooops - now what are the dogs getting up to?

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    • #3
      If only I could find the nest. I had some traps down but can't see where the ants are coming and going from. Maybe put a trap at the base of the tree?

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      • #4
        If you put grease around the trunk that should stop the ants climbing up.
        Location....East Midlands.

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        • #5
          As a quick measure I just sprayed the leaves with fly-spray (it's not in fruit this year) and all the ants fell off. Not sure if the aphids survived, they look the same alive or dead really.

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          • #6
            Not just greenfly, they also actively farm scale insects . . .
            My allotment in pictures

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            • #7
              It is very annoying for gardeners, as they'll destroy the plant, but fascinating to watch! One of my customers lost all their Lupins two years ago. They were absolutely plastered with bright blue/green Aphids, which were being farmed by ants.
              All the best - Glutton 4 Punishment
              Freelance shrub butcher and weed removal operative.

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              • #8
                The blue aphids (that I've also only ever seen on Lupins) are huge! I'd say x3 the size of regular green ones. They make quite a mess to rub off.

                I also discovered one of my two young apple trees supporting a bustling aphid city, just the other day. All the new growth from the tip to about 6" down of every young branch was smothered in green, with ants going up and down the trunk constantly.
                So I doused the foliage with greenfly spray, which I generally try to avoid using, but I didn't really have a choice given the extent of the infestation. By the evening many of the aphids had shrivelled and dropped off, and no sign of the ants at all.

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                • #9
                  Yup, they were much much bigger than green or black Aphids.
                  All the best - Glutton 4 Punishment
                  Freelance shrub butcher and weed removal operative.

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                  • #10
                    Last year I planted two blackcurrants. Come Summer and both had stems completely covered with soil. The stems themselves were invisible. The leaves at the end of each were crinkled and distorted. I assume this was the work of ants, but I have never heard of it before. This year the ants are back with aphids, but no soil.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by d000hg View Post
                      As a quick measure I just sprayed the leaves with fly-spray (it's not in fruit this year) and all the ants fell off. Not sure if the aphids survived, they look the same alive or dead really.
                      You might want to read this topic:

                      http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ids_79652.html
                      .

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