Queen Anne’s Lace flowers are icons of high summer, but they’re already out in full force here. If you look closely at the images below, you’ll see that this plant, also known as Wild Carrot (Daucus carota), has not only attracted pollinating flies or bees, but also ants that apparently are herding aphids.
As you may know, aphids are miniscule insects that suck the sap from plants. Ants are known to “farm” aphids and stroke them so that they exude “honeydew,” a sweet milk-like substance that the ants drink insatiably.
I’m not sure what species these pollinators and ants are. If you can identify them for me, it would be appreciated. (Brooklin, Maine)