Ant and treehopper
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| Common name | Ant; Treehopper |
| Scientific name | Myrmica rubra; Membracidae |
| Taxonomic group | Formicidae; Homoptera |
| Source | Dan L. Perlman |
| Ecological interactions | Mutualism |
| Mutualism | Ants and Homopterans |
| Behavior | Communication |
| Organisms | Animals |
| Animals | Insects |
| Lessons | Mutualisms |
| Date | June 1991 |
| Location | Newton,Massachusetts,USA,North America |
Ant receiving honeydew from treehopper, Massachusetts. Many species of ants tend insects in the order Homoptera, including aphids and their relatives such as this treehopper. Homopterans (which include aphids, cicadas, scale insects, and treehoppers) have sucking mouthparts and drink plant sap, which is rich in sugars but has relatively few amino acids. In order to get enough amino acids, the Homopterans drink prodigious quantities of sap, absorbing the amino acids and a little of the sugar. Most of the volume of the sap passes through their digestive system and gets excreted as a sugary liquid known as honeydew. Homopterans that are tended by ants typically retain this liquid until an ant taps their hindquarters with her antennae, after which the Homopteran releases the honeydew, as in this image.
