The relationship between aphids and ants is symbiotic in that both receive some benefit from the arrangement. Animals and plants in a mutually symbiotic arrangement with ants are called Myrmecophiles. I saw this group of White Footed Ants Technomyrmex albipes, on the plant tending aphids. Here I have used Canon EOS 5DS R coupled with … Read more
Who would consider ants farmers? Farmer is not a vocation naturally assigned to these tiny insects. The fact is that they herd and care for aphids to keep a much-loved food in constant supply. Aphids and ants on plants are as interdependent as Idli & sambar. I saw this Camponotus Ant on the underside of … Read more
It was raining heavily, I found these few amber colored ants climbing a sugarcane stem which had grown in our garden. They went underneath a leaf and stayed there for a long time. I was curious to find what they were doing. I turned the leaf over and I found these Camponotus Ants on the … Read more
I found this Camponotus Ant (thanks Alex for pointing out the correct ID for the ant) on hibiscus branch which was tending aphids. I used Rayflash ring flash adapter attached to Canon Speedlite 580EX II which gave a far smoother light for the ant. The effect was far better than Canon MT-24EX macro twin light … Read more