Ants & aphids: relationship and way of life

Aphids and ants often appear together. But do ants eat the aphids? And what about milking the aphids? Here you will find everything on the topic and tips on how to control ants and aphids.

Aphids can be found in pretty much every garden. You have probably already noticed that more ants can be observed on a plant that has been infected by aphids. This is by no means a coincidence. Ants are very interested in aphids and even protect them from predators. We'll show you where this ants interest in aphids comes from and how to get rid of the ants and aphids.

Ants and aphids: why do they often appear together?

To answer why ants and aphids often co-exist, take a look at that Aphids need nutrition: the small insects sting the sugary phloem sap from Plants on. This sap is low in protein, which is why the aphids have to consume a lot of it to meet their protein needs. They excrete the excess sugar in the form of honeydew. It is precisely this honeydew that the ants aim for, as it contains not only carbohydrates but also valuable amino acids. The ants eat the sugary excretions that stick to the leaves or suck the honeydew directly from the aphids' rump. Therefore, lice and ants often appear together.

But not all ant species have such a keen interest in honeydew. Especially the brown garden ant (Lasius brunneus) and the black garden ant (Lasius niger) like to nibble on the sweet honeydew. These species even milk the aphids.

Some scale insect species and some phloem-sucking cicadas also excrete honeydew and live in symbiosis with ants.

Do ants eat aphids?

Ants do not eat aphids, in fact they even defend the lice against predators in order to secure the honeydew. But even if lice are not on the ants' menu, they have some natural predators. These predators can help you to prevent aphids from multiplying on a large scale in the garden. One of the most famous and voracious Beneficial insects against aphids is the ladybug. Aphids are not only on the menu of the adult animals, but above all of the larvae. A larva can eat up to 500 aphids before they pupate into a fully grown ladybird. Other interesting facts on the subject of "Ladybirds against aphids“You can find out more about how you can specifically promote ladybugs in our special article.

tip: Ants do not eat aphids, but they are still useful in our garden. They are predators of pests and support the formation of humus in the soil by breaking up organic material.

That's why ants milk aphids

Aphids continuously release honeydew on their own. It drips from the leaf, dries solid and is difficult for the ants to use. Therefore, some ants have developed a technique to induce the aphids to release honeydew on command: They drum their antennae on the aphid's rump. This encourages the louse to shed the honeydew. The ants then suck up the honeydew immediately after excretion. This process is known as milking the aphid because the association with milking a cow is not far-fetched.

The genus of ants that lives in Southeast Asia Dolichocerus has gone a step further in milking the aphids. Some ants are sent out looking for plants that are suitable for aphids. Once such a plant is found, the ants transport the aphids to the new plant and milk it there!

Control aphids and ants

If you notice a noticeable number of ants on a plant, this is usually a sign of an aphid infestation. The ants are only interested in the honeydew of the aphids, not in the plant itself, and therefore do not appear directly as plant pests. The animals are of course a nuisance. The ants will go away on their own as soon as you get rid of the aphids. It is therefore advisable to fight the aphids first if there are noticeably many ants on a plant.

Aphids are one of the most common pests on plants in our gardens and homes. Individual individuals are not a problem for plants, but our gardens often lack predators, which is why there are mass reproductions. Heavy infestation by aphids can lead to severely deformed leaves and flowers on the plants and reduce the yield of crops. In addition, the aphids can quickly pass to neighboring plants if these also suit their taste. We therefore advise you to regularly check plants for aphid infestation. Usually the green, black or reddish colored insects can be seen on the shoot tips.

If the infestation is mild, you can try a home remedy for aphids to combat them. In our article about Home remedies for aphids we will show you a few tricks on how you can make soapy water or nettle broth yourself, for example. If the desired effect does not occur or if the infestation is more severe, we recommend an organic pesticide. Agents based on neem oil are particularly suitable. The oil of the neem tree is the basis of ours Plantura organic pest-free neem and has a purely vegetable effect. It has an appetite-suppressing effect on the aphids and also disrupts the hormonal balance of the insects, which ensures that all generations are effectively combated. Our Plantura organic pest-free Neem enables you to control aphids and other sucking, biting or leaf-mining insects in the house and garden. The remedy is not dangerous to bees and very easy to use. Please note that you can use our Organic pest-free neem Use exactly as specified in the application recommendation. Please read the instruction leaflet before use.

If it is not practicable to control aphids because the infestation affects a tree, there is another option: rings of glue that are wrapped around the tree trunk. These tapes are coated with glue on one side. The ants stick to this when they try to walk over it. It is important to ensure that glue rings only serve their purpose if the ants cannot reach the infested tree via neighboring plants. In addition, the glue ring must be attached very tightly so that the ants cannot run through it. The ants are prevented from reaching the aphids by the glue rings. As a result, the pests are no longer protected from predators. Keeping ants from getting to the aphids enables other animals to eat the aphids.

Tip: Not only affected and neighboring plants, but also tree stakes and other supports have to be included be wrapped in a ring of glue - otherwise the ants will always easily find their way onto the plant again.

In the vast majority of cases, ants are not harmful in the garden. On the terrace, on paths or even in the house, however, they quickly become very uncomfortable. In these cases we recommend an ant remedy such as ours Ant remedy InsectoSec®. If used correctly, the active ingredient does not pose a threat to bees or your pets. You can use it in your garden on paved paths wherever ants bother you. Should be on plants in beds and in lawns Home remedies for ants used like cinnamon.

More helpful tips like you Fight aphids naturally can be found in our special article.