{"id":2068,"date":"2021-09-09T14:26:06","date_gmt":"2021-09-09T06:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=2068"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:16:06","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:16:06","slug":"do-ants-eat-aphids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Ants Eat Aphids?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Yes, ants eat aphids. Aphids, like many other insects, serve as a food source for ant predators. They provide ants with the protein they need for colony growth and expansion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of the time, however, ants and aphids form a mutualistic relationship. Instead of eating aphids, ants protect them in exchange for honeydew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we&#8217;ll learn about the complex relationship between ants and aphids. We&#8217;ll discuss their mutualism and the factors that push ants to prey on aphids instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/do-ants-eat-aphids-b-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"do ants eat aphids\" class=\"wp-image-3201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/do-ants-eat-aphids-b-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/do-ants-eat-aphids-b-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/do-ants-eat-aphids-b-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/do-ants-eat-aphids-b.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/derweg-7520060\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4260140\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">DerWeg<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4260140\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_64 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Ant_and_Aphid_Relationship\" title=\"Ant and Aphid Relationship\">Ant and Aphid Relationship<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Why_Do_Ants_Eat_Aphids\" title=\"Why Do Ants Eat Aphids?\">Why Do Ants Eat Aphids?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Food_Scarcity\" title=\"Food Scarcity\">Food Scarcity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Taste_Preference\" title=\"Taste Preference\">Taste Preference<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Plant_Health\" title=\"Plant Health\">Plant Health<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Better_Alternatives\" title=\"Better Alternatives\">Better Alternatives<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Familiarity\" title=\"Familiarity\">Familiarity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Low_Productivity\" title=\"Low Productivity\">Low Productivity<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Related_Questions\" title=\"Related Questions\">Related Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Can_Aphids_Survive_Without_Ants\" title=\"Can Aphids Survive Without Ants?\">Can Aphids Survive Without Ants?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Do_Ants_Enslave_Aphids\" title=\"Do Ants Enslave Aphids?\">Do Ants Enslave Aphids?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-eat-aphids\/#Summary\" title=\"Summary\">Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ant_and_Aphid_Relationship\"><\/span>Ant and Aphid Relationship<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants and aphids usually form a<strong> mutualistic relationship<\/strong>. This means that they cohabit and benefit from each other. In this relationship, ants become dairy farmers. They tend to aphids in exchange for honeydew.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This honeydew is a sweet, sugary, waste excretion that aphids produce. It serves as a food source for ants similar to nectar and sap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore it\u2019s easy to see why ants go the extra mile in tending to aphids. In doing so they gain access to a potentially <strong>unlimited food supply<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some of the things that ants do for aphids:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Protect them from predators like lacewings and ladybugs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Protect them from fungal outbreaks and other lethal diseases<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Care for their eggs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide them warmth and shelter during winter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Move them to plants ideal for feeding<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Ants_Eat_Aphids\"><\/span>Why Do Ants Eat Aphids?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/do-ants-eat-aphids-3-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/do-ants-eat-aphids-3-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/do-ants-eat-aphids-3-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/do-ants-eat-aphids-3-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/do-ants-eat-aphids-3.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Ant_guards_its_Aphids.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">viamoi<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">CC BY 2.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite their mutualism, ants sometimes feed on aphids for the following reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Food_Scarcity\"><\/span>Food Scarcity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Honeydew&#8217;s great but ants need protein. Protein is essential for colony growth and expansion. Therefore, ants don&#8217;t mind eating aphids when <strong>protein sources are scarce<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Taste_Preference\"><\/span>Taste Preference<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants are particular with the aphids they tend to. Some aphids produce <strong>higher-quality honeydew<\/strong> and are much more attractive to ants.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Studies show that ants prey on the lesser preferred aphids to make space for preferred ones. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/3547170\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/3547170\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Plant_Health\"><\/span>Plant Health<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants don&#8217;t just go willy-nilly when farming aphids. They plan things out and make sure that they&#8217;ll continuously have food for long periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Part of this planning involves keeping plants in a certain state of health. They don&#8217;t want plants to die off or flower as either can cause the death of aphids.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, to maintain plant and herd longevity, ants eat aphids for <strong>population control<\/strong>. [<a href=\"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/science\/2016\/09\/ants-are-destroying-your-plants-by-nurturing-perfect-aphid-colonies\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/science\/2016\/09\/ants-are-destroying-your-plants-by-nurturing-perfect-aphid-colonies\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Better_Alternatives\"><\/span>Better Alternatives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants aren\u2019t shy of <strong>betraying aphids<\/strong> when there are better alternatives. Some ants, for example, prefer to form a relationship with acacia trees. [<a href=\"http:\/\/archive-srel.uga.edu\/outreach\/ecoviews\/ecoview151011.htm\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"http:\/\/archive-srel.uga.edu\/outreach\/ecoviews\/ecoview151011.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of tending to aphids, these ants eat them and other plant predators instead. They do so to protect the acacia tree in exchange for shelter and nectar. Perhaps honeydew isn\u2019t as sweet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Familiarity\"><\/span>Familiarity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants can either prey on or tend to aphids based on familiarity. Ants generally tend to aphid species which they have <strong>tended to before<\/strong>. Inversely, they prey on aphids which whom they have never interacted with. [<a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/BF02515084\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/BF02515084\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">5<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Low_Productivity\"><\/span>Low Productivity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants are brutal. They don\u2019t care for weak or unproductive aphids no matter how long they\u2019ve cared for them. Any aphids they deem a <strong>liability<\/strong> get eaten for protein. These aphids typically include the sick, old, and weak ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s all about <strong>resource management<\/strong>. Ants don&#8217;t want to keep these aphids around as they cost resources to maintain. The removal of sick aphids also ensures that the others remain healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Questions\"><\/span>Related Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/do-ants-eat-aphids-2-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2070\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/do-ants-eat-aphids-2-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/do-ants-eat-aphids-2-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/do-ants-eat-aphids-2-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/do-ants-eat-aphids-2.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/jerzygorecki-2233926\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1271768\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Jerzy G\u00f3recki<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1271768\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Aphids_Survive_Without_Ants\"><\/span>Can Aphids Survive Without Ants?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Aphids <strong>can survive without ants<\/strong>. In fact, some aphids don&#8217;t rely on ants at all. These aphids have structural and behavioral defenses to help them fight off predators. [<a href=\"https:\/\/simonleather.wordpress.com\/2017\/01\/30\/not-all-aphids-are-farmed-by-ants\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/simonleather.wordpress.com\/2017\/01\/30\/not-all-aphids-are-farmed-by-ants\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">6<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They, for example, use alarm pheromones and dropping behavior to avoid predators. Physically, they can also release waxes to make themselves less palatable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the flip side of things, there are also aphids that can\u2019t live without ants. Aphids used to being attended by ants don\u2019t develop anti-predator defenses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some can&#8217;t even excrete honeydew unless stimulated by the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Enslave_Aphids\"><\/span>Do Ants Enslave Aphids?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Enslave is a strong word but the relationship between ants and aphids can be viewed as slavery.\u00a0 Despite the mutualism, ants really only <strong>care about honeydew<\/strong>. That is why they can easily discard and eat aphids as they see fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants also prevent aphids from dispersing. Ants sometimes tear wings off aphids to prevent them from dispersing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A recent study has also shown that ants use <strong>chemicals to subdue aphids<\/strong>. Scientists believe that ants use tranquilizing chemicals to keep aphids near their colony. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2007\/10\/071009212548.htm\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2007\/10\/071009212548.htm\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">7<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To summarize, ants do eat aphids. While usually best buddies, ants prey on aphids for the following reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Food scarcity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Honeydew preference<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plant health<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Better alternatives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Familiarity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Low productivity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, ants do what&#8217;s best for them. They cease their relationship with aphids whenever deem necessary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yes, ants eat aphids. Aphids, like many other insects, serve as a food source for ant predators. They provide ants with the protein they need for colony growth and expansion. Most of the time, however, ants and aphids form a mutualistic relationship. Instead of eating aphids, ants protect them in exchange for honeydew. In this&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3201,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2068"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2068"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2068\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3763,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2068\/revisions\/3763"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}