"Ray" writes:
The sweet substance produced by the plants attracts ants
The ants come, and set up shop with aphids
The aphids produce the honeydew which feeds that ants - at the expense of
the plant...

Huh?

The aphids hereabouts grow wings if the colony can't sustain itself
from what nourishment is around. Then they fly away, and every last
one seem to find my orchids. If I am able to catch it in the first
generation, the aphids also still have wings when I douse them with
soap suds.

I live in a second-floor flat, and I am pretty certain that there are
no ants around, especially not in the numbers needed to fill up my
orchids with aphids.

For an added bonus, add a number of wasps, bumblebees and bees to the
mix. That wouldn't be a problem if they could just find their way out
again. They tend to knock themselves silly on the windows and lie on
the floor, just waiting for someone with bare feet.

Does this mean that US-bred aphids cant fly?

Don't know what is worse - flying aphids or ants.

Geir