7 replies to this topic

[Dbiggerstaff11]

Hey guys, I am looking if anyone knows or has experience with aphids in South Carolina that produce honeydew for ants. If you know any of these aphids in SC, or here in SC they live, please post it on this Topic

[Works4TheGood]

Wow! I've never heard of anybody trying that before! So you are going to have a terrarium growing plants for the aphids for the ants? I know from personal experience with indoor pepper plants that aphids very quickly reproduce out of control. Best of luck! Sounds very interesting!

[LC3]

If I'm not mistaken all aphids and most (if not all) sap sucking insects produce honeydew; for these insects, honeydew is basically their waste. 

Edited by LC3, April 1 2017 - 8:42 PM.

[Antking117]

If I'm not mistaken all aphids and most (if not all) sap sucking insects produce honeydew; for these insects, honeydew is basically their waste. 

I believe i learned this from the movie Antz

[Dbiggerstaff11]

Wow! I've never heard of anybody trying that before! So you are going to have a terrarium growing plants for the aphids for the ants? I know from personal experience with indoor pepper plants that aphids very quickly reproduce out of control. Best of luck! Sounds very interesting!

Yes, I am going to attempt this. Thanks for the encouragement!

[Dbiggerstaff11]

If I'm not mistaken all aphids and most (if not all) sap sucking insects produce honeydew; for these insects, honeydew is basically their waste.

Yeah, I'm also positive all aphids do, however I am trying to find out if anyone knows any specific kind to make it easier to find an aphid. I've been looking for a while but haven't seen any, I'll probably just wait till summer, but I want to be prepared.

[Vanko]

Interesting. I would like to learn how to milk honeydew. Do I need special equipment or it can be done with bare hands? Also if I walk them, would they produce more?
Now seriously : have you ever seen something which looks like shiny dust, under some bushes? This is honeydew! You could try "farming" honeydew by taking a plant with aphids over it, putting it under a heating lamp (it will make the plant grow faster and aphids stay under the leaves which is important) and in few days you will see a resault. If you put a plastic sheet under the plant, you should be able to collect the [censored] and give it to the ants. Best way is to make "[censored] warter" (did you get it? ). I would use a theeth brush with few drops of water on it to "melt" (not sure about the right English word) the dew and then just take it of the sheet with very small amount of water. You can't use 5-6 litter of water to take off .5 grams of dew! They just give it to your ants.

PS I hope you realize that you won't be able to harvest more then a half gram from a small bush! Also the honeydew will be in the water, that's why you shouldn't use more than 30-40 grams of water to collect it!

[thosaka]

 

If I'm not mistaken all aphids and most (if not all) sap sucking insects produce honeydew; for these insects, honeydew is basically their waste.

Yeah, I'm also positive all aphids do, however I am trying to find out if anyone knows any specific kind to make it easier to find an aphid. I've been looking for a while but haven't seen any, I'll probably just wait till summer, but I want to be prepared.

 

 

http://berkshirebiol...duct/aphids-50/

Edited by Tagassi, April 4 2017 - 2:17 PM.