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Identifying natural enemies Return to: grapes web, native plants web

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About ants
Identifying natural enemies > ants
Many ant species may be present in field crops, feeding on seeds or leaf tissue; other species are predaceous.

A unique association exists between ants and aphids, particularly soybean aphids. Ants are often found on soybean plants in infested fields. Many assume the ants are eating the aphids; instead, the ants are actually tending the aphids, protecting them from predators. The ants feed on the sweet honeydew secreted by aphids.

Ants
This information was developed for the publication Identifying Natural Enemies in Field Crops by Mary Gardiner, Christina DiFonzo, Michael Brewer and Takuji Noma, MSU Extension bulletin E2949.
The MSU IPM Program maintains this site as an access point to pest management information at MSU. The IPM Program is administered within the Department of Entomology, fueled by research from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, delivered to citizens through MSU Extension, and proud to be a part of Project GREEEN.
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12/18/06