21-10-2003, 07:02 AM
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How do I attract/grow aphids (I am NOT kidding!)
(saman) wrote in news:e89573f0.0310202022.e0b26b7
@posting.google.com:
I am setting up a biotope (basically a simulated natural environment)
in an old aquarium. In it, I will be raising a colony of ants
(complete with the queen and all) next to an aquatic environment with
fish, aquatic snails, and other critters inside. Part of the beauty
of a biotope is to observe nature (the other fun part is
designing/building it...hehe). It so happens that this species of
ants in nature tends aphids, and in return feeds of off its "honeydew"
(a symbiosis if you will). Obviouly, I would like to mimic this as
much as possible. I am mimicing its natural environment as closely as
I can (humidity, temp, soil moisture, soil type, etc...) as well.
First you need to know if these special aphids or ordinary aphids you can
get off the street. I've heard of the ants you are talking about, they
stroke the aphids which then secret a sweet fluid out of their ... ahem
.... fluid secretion hole.
I'm assuming you need special 'cow' aphids (probably not the real name)
(and maybe special diet), but if not, do a search on Sevin dust. Now
this may kill your ants and fishies, but if you believe the posts, the
aphids will party like it's 1999. Just grow a rose outside and dust it
Sevin periodicly. When your biotope population gets low, just pick off a
leaf and chuck it in. If you're lucky, the little Antnolds will soon
find out which aphids like their hershey holes licked.
- ST
P.S. If you get cancer or some such from the Sevin, don't blame me.
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