My ants and aphids are at it again :-(

This time the ants build little soil castles around the bottom of my fennel
plant - and attach the aphids' teeth to the stem when they are
appropriately shaded - and then dance gleefully around them.

I'm not sure why they bother will the protection - the aphids seem
to do just fine when they are exposed on the tops of my broad beans.

Maybe these fennel-juice suckers are a different breed which happen
to like the shade ;-)

Currently I regularly knock the soil around the stem off with a stick.

Does anyone know if my 1M high bronze fennel is likely to be seriously
thretened by the aphid attack on its stem?

Any advice about my counter-measure options would also be welcomed.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.
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