Ant tending a young Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) larva R8871 Backus Woods, ON PFN
Ant tending a young Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) caterpillar.
Backus Woods, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada.
June 3, 2016.
Ants can help you locate Lycaenid caterpillars on their hostplant. It's not foolproof, but this Ant definitely helped me see the tiny, well camouflaged Silvery Blue larva.
Lycaenid caterpillars produce "honeydew" which the Ants covet. In return, Ants tenaciously protect the vulnerable larvae from parasites and predators. Aphids also produce honeydew for Ants, so sometimes you'll find aphids instead of caterpillars.
Photographs, Text and Videos ©Jay Cossey, PhotographsFromNature.com (PFN)
All rights reserved. Contact: PhotographsFromNature@gmail.com
My second book, "Familiar Butterflies of Indiana and their Natural History" is now available!
Please check out my first book, "Southern Ontario Butterflies and their Natural History". Now available on Amazon.ca!
www.amazon.ca/Southern-Ontario-Butterflies-Natural-Histor...
Information on both books here:
photographsfromnature.com/butterfly-books
My website: www.PhotographsFromNature.com
Ant tending a young Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) larva R8871 Backus Woods, ON PFN
Ant tending a young Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) caterpillar.
Backus Woods, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada.
June 3, 2016.
Ants can help you locate Lycaenid caterpillars on their hostplant. It's not foolproof, but this Ant definitely helped me see the tiny, well camouflaged Silvery Blue larva.
Lycaenid caterpillars produce "honeydew" which the Ants covet. In return, Ants tenaciously protect the vulnerable larvae from parasites and predators. Aphids also produce honeydew for Ants, so sometimes you'll find aphids instead of caterpillars.
Photographs, Text and Videos ©Jay Cossey, PhotographsFromNature.com (PFN)
All rights reserved. Contact: PhotographsFromNature@gmail.com
My second book, "Familiar Butterflies of Indiana and their Natural History" is now available!
Please check out my first book, "Southern Ontario Butterflies and their Natural History". Now available on Amazon.ca!
www.amazon.ca/Southern-Ontario-Butterflies-Natural-Histor...
Information on both books here:
photographsfromnature.com/butterfly-books
My website: www.PhotographsFromNature.com