ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Sionnach]

Is there any way to duplicate the behaviour of 'aphid milking' within a formicarium? I think it would be really interesting to see.

p.s

I will be ordering from you soon and am just deciding which species best suits me. Or which species I suit!!!

[gonzobey]

I think its possible but its not so easy to keep a whole plant with aphids....

The plant is an "closed system", over the phloem (a special kind of conductions) the plant provide itself with nutriments. Those conductions were tapped by the aphids and the negative pressure pump the "plant juice" into the body. By this way the ahphid get more than enough sugar - more than they needed, so they drop out the non needed sugar. Thats why the ants are so crasy for this drop outs.

So that to the theory now to the exercise: You need a "whole" plant with parts of the plants will not success! Be carefull because of any problem of the plant the aphids will fall down and search other plants or die. And if you gave the ants not enough protein it would be possible that they don´t milking then but eat!

Hope that this info could helped you!

Greetings
Bianca