Tag Archives: ants

Flies and Peony Buds

Posted on May 14, 2013 by

Peony flower buds secrete a sugary fluid this time of year, and that fluid attracts a number of insects, especially flies and ants.  I have not heard an explanation that seems very likely to me.  I have been thinking about it and … Continue reading →

Posted in insects | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Ants and Treehoppers

Posted on August 14, 2012 by

I ran across some clusters of treehoppers and ants on giant ragweed yesterday and today. Here the ant is the Allegheny mound ant, Formica exsectoides.  The treehoppers are nymphs, but I think they are Publilia concava.  The ants and treehoppers … Continue reading →

Posted in ants, formica exsectoides, giant ragweed, plants | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Looking for Inspiration

Posted on July 19, 2012 by

I am not a musician but I often think that being a photographer is a lot like being a musician.  You do it for reasons that aren’t readily apparent to others.  You have to practice often.  Often you specialize–maybe you … Continue reading →

Posted in ants, Biological diversity | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Ants and Butterflies

Posted on July 17, 2012 by

I checked out the plant that had the aphids and ants on it again tonight.  It seemed to me that there were fewer ants and especially fewer aphids than yesterday.  Why?  Or was it just my imagination–I did not count … Continue reading →

Posted in ants, formica exsectoides | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Ants and Aphids

Posted on July 16, 2012 by

Yesterday I came across some ants tending aphids. I am pretty sure the ant is Formica exsectoides,  the Allegheny mound ant.  I don’t know the aphid–I am pretty sure microscopic examination would be required to identify it. There is a … Continue reading →

Posted in ants, formica exsectoides, insects | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Meal Time

Posted on July 3, 2012 by

There is an annual prairie plant that grows here in Iowa, and it is called partridge pea, Cassia fasciculata.  The plant has little glands at the base of its leaves.  Those glands are called extrafloral nectaries.  The plant releases sugary … Continue reading →

Posted in extrafloral nectary, insects, partridge pea, plants | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Peony Buds

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

Our peonies are getting close to blooming.  Peonies at this stage secrete some kind of nectar or sap that is very attractive to insects.  Often you will see the buds covered with ants. They are also quite attractive to flies.  … Continue reading →

Posted in diptera, insects | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Firewood Critters

Posted on September 15, 2011 by

I’ve put off cutting firewood for most of the summer.  Now it is getting cold, and summer will soon be gone.  So I have started cutting some. I easily get off task, however.  Here are some critters I found under … Continue reading →

Posted in ants, insects, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Peony Ants

Posted on May 20, 2011 by

Peony buds always seem to attract a number of ants. I think this is Formica subsericea Either there are numbers of ants or there are numbers of other insects–often flies. These peonies had a number of very colorful bluebottle flies, … Continue reading →

Posted in ants, diptera, insects, plants | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Evil Springtail

Posted on December 11, 2010 by

During the spring and summer of 2010 I spent several days watching and photographing ants and visitors on a nest of the Allegheny mound-building ant.  On June second I saw what I thought was the most remarkable event I have witnessed on … Continue reading →

Posted in ants, formica exsectoides | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments