I haven't posted for awhile because I have been so busy tending to my garden, and other out door projects.
Here is something cool that I found the other day. A few a my milkweed plants have oleander aphids on them. I do have some natural garden helpers that keep them somewhat at bay, namely Ladybeetles, and their larva. But, I also have something that is, shall we say, 'nurturing' the aphids as well. Aphids pierce plant leaves, and suck out the juices. They then poop out a sweet, sticky substance referred to as 'honeydew'. Ants love this stuff. They can be seen 'tickling' ants to get them to excrete the honeydew. In the Fall, ants are even known to take aphid eggs into their nests to protect them during the winter, and then in the Spring bring them back out and put them on plants. I caught a little video of an ant tending to a little herd of aphids the other day.
Remember to 'like' and 'share' the love of nature!
Here is something cool that I found the other day. A few a my milkweed plants have oleander aphids on them. I do have some natural garden helpers that keep them somewhat at bay, namely Ladybeetles, and their larva. But, I also have something that is, shall we say, 'nurturing' the aphids as well. Aphids pierce plant leaves, and suck out the juices. They then poop out a sweet, sticky substance referred to as 'honeydew'. Ants love this stuff. They can be seen 'tickling' ants to get them to excrete the honeydew. In the Fall, ants are even known to take aphid eggs into their nests to protect them during the winter, and then in the Spring bring them back out and put them on plants. I caught a little video of an ant tending to a little herd of aphids the other day.
Remember to 'like' and 'share' the love of nature!
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