I've been watching these guys for awhile. They're on a sunflower leaf. I know ants take care of aphids but these don't look like aphids and I've never seen any mature aphids. What are they taking care of?
CLOSED: Ants and Aphids?
ants will also tend scale, mealy bugs and really anything that will give them the "honeydew". yours are very interesting and i really have no clue.
I have no idea either but I'll keep observing and taking pictures. I poked at the ants with a little stick and they weren't happy. They went nuts defending their bugs. Do they ever go back to the colony or do they just sit there suckin' down honeydew all day and night? They don't seem to be getting any other work done. I suppose that's a question for another forum. Thanks trackinsand for the info.
Look to be Treehopper nymphs...Entylia carinata. I have been watching several hatches of these on sunflowers in my garden.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/5191/
boy, i think you're right! it's amazing. i hate these insects so much but looking at all the great up close photos, you can't help but be in awe of nature's pests. i still hate 'em though.......lol
How cool is that! Love these pics.
Oh good. Thank you for solving this. Great pictures though a bit yucky. :P I'll mark this solved.
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