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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Assessment of Aphidicidal Effect of Entomopathogenic Fungi against Parthenogenetic Insect, Mustard Aphid, Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.)

Assessment of Aphidicidal Effect of Entomopathogenic Fungi against Parthenogenetic Insect, Mustard Aphid, Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.)

Published on: July 21, 2023

Ants defend aphids against lethal disease.

Charlotte Nielsen¹, Anurag A Agrawal, Ann E Hajek

¹Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, NY 14853-2601, USA.

Biology Letters

|November 20, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Ants protect aphids from deadly fungal diseases. They actively remove infected aphids and groom healthy ones, reducing disease spread in aphid colonies.

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Testing the Physiological Barriers to Viral Transmission in Aphids Using Microinjection

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Testing the Physiological Barriers to Viral Transmission in Aphids Using Microinjection

Testing the Physiological Barriers to Viral Transmission in Aphids Using Microinjection

Published on: May 14, 2008

Area of Science:

Ecology
Entomology
Behavioral Ecology

Background:

Social insects, like ants, often protect their mutualistic partners, such as aphids.
Ants typically gain nutrition from aphid honeydew while defending aphids against predators.
This study investigates a less-understood aspect of ant-aphid mutualism: disease protection.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine if Formica podzolica ants protect milkweed aphids (Aphis asclepiadis) from fungal pathogens.
To observe ant behaviors related to disease prevention and management within aphid colonies.

Main Methods:

Field experiments were conducted with Formica podzolica ants and Aphis asclepiadis aphids.
Observations focused on the ants' interactions with aphid colonies, particularly concerning diseased individuals.
Ant behaviors such as aphid removal and grooming were recorded.

Main Results:

Ants actively removed bodies of aphids killed by the fungus Pandora neoaphidis.
Ant workers detected and responded to fungal spores on living aphids.
Observed ant behaviors included removing or grooming infected aphids, limiting disease spread.

Conclusions:

Formica podzolica ants exhibit disease-sanitizing and quarantining behaviors towards their aphid mutualists.
These behaviors reduce the transmission of the lethal aphid pathogen Pandora neoaphidis.
This expands the understanding of ant-aphid mutualism to include active disease management.